A comparative analysis of the hydrogeology of the Indus-Gangetic and Yellow River basins

Abstract

The Indus, Gangetic and Yellow River basins have supported thriving agriculture economies from time immemorial. Of late, unplanned over-exploitation of their resources, especially groundwater, has raised concerns about the long-term hydrological sustainability of the irrigated agriculture in the region. This calls for a fresh look at the hydrogeological resources and the management options for these basins. The Indus basin with a drainage area of 1.1 M km2 supports the world’s largest contiguous irrigation system called the Indus Basin Irrigation System. In both the Indus Basin and western parts of the Gangetic basin, there is intensive use of groundwater and this has led to a decline in the groundwater table. In the eastern part of the Gangetic basin groundwater is relatively under utilized. The Huang-Huai-Hai plain of the Yellow River Basin is one of the largest groundwater irrigated regions in China and produces the bulk of China’s food grains.