TN-10 : Artificial recharge of groundwater

Abstract

Development of the groundwater resources in various parts of the world has been increasing in recent years as development of surface water resources approaches the point of full potential. The increasing use of ground water for municipal, industrial and irrigation supply has. emphasized the need for recharging the groundwater by artificial means. For last several years, the practice of artificially recharging the ground water reservoir has been quite successfully used in the USA and in many countries of Europe. In India, a declining trend of ground water regime has been observed in the parts of Gujarat,Tamilnadu, Rajasthan etc. due to over exploitation of groundwater. It is, therefore, important to study the various aspects of artificially recharging the groundwater which will not only help in controlling the declining trend of ground water but will also ensure its effective utilisation. This technical note gives summary of various developments in the field of artificial recharge of ground water at national and international levels. Various methods of recharge have been discussed in detail, with reference to their design criteria, application, economic feasibility etc. The planning, design and execution of an artificial recharge project have been dis-cussed giving details of data requirement. A brief description of an artificial recharge project taken up in Mehsana area of Gujarat is given. The basic guidelines involved in modelling an artificial recharge system have been described. A detailed bibliography is also given at the end.