Abstract:
The continuous and large-scale abstraction of
groundwater has created a groundwater depletion problem
in several parts of the Punjab state including Bist Doab, the
interfluve region of Beas and Satluj rivers. In the present
study, a few important parameters, viz. water level,
stable isotope, EC, temperature, groundwater age, that can
be used to fingerprint the over-exploitation of groundwater
have been examined. It has been observed that with the
increase in over-exploitation, the yield of shallow aquifer is
progressively getting reduced and as a result forcing the
farmers to sink their wells to deeper depths. With
abstraction of deeper aquifer, the storage of old groundwater
at the deeper aquifer is declining and getting
replaced by induced accelerated inflow of young water
from the recharge zone and the overlying shallow aquifer.
The signatures of the modern water have been observed in
the data analyzed for isotopic, hydro-chemical facies,
electrical conductivity and temperature of water from
deeper aquifer. The study has identified the usefulness of
these parameters for identifying groundwater over-exploitation
in the region. Depleting water resource may
stagnate the economic progress of the region. The paper
provides suitable water resource management strategies to
be adopted to improve the sustainability of water resources
and economic growth in the region.
