INCOH/SAR-7/95-Natural ground water recharge estimation methodologies in India

Abstract

It has been estimated that the total world population will increase from 4.5 billion in 1980 to about 6.5 billion by the year 2000, with the most rapid growth in the developing countries. By that time, the countries within the humid tropics and the other warm humid regions will represent almost one-third of the total world population. This proportion will continue to rise in the twenty-first century. The developing and under-developed countries thus quite clearly are the regions facing potentially serious water problems. Hence, it is urgent to question as to whether the fields of hydrology and water resources management have the appropriate methods in place to meet the rising demands that will be made on the water resources. Hence it becomes very important and expeditious to review and update the state-of-art in different facets of hydrology and component processes. This calls for compiling and reporting present day technology in assessment of water resources and determining the quality of these water resources. Rainfall is the most important source of natural ground water recharge. Rainfall infiltration to ground water regime depends on various attributes like duration and intensity of rainfall, soil moisture characteristics, physiographic and hydrogeologic situations. Quantification of the rainfall infiltration of ground water reservoirs involves precise determination of various components controlling and contributing to ground water movement. This state-of-art report deals with various methods of estimating ground water recharge which are being used in India. Relevant case studies have also been included.