CENTRAL GROUND WATER BOARD

INTRODUCTION         
Ground water is playing a key role in meeting the requirements of domestic, irrigation and industrial water sectors. Growing demands of water in these sectors of ground water development has brought problems of over-exploitation of the resource, continuously declining water levels, seawater ingress in coastal areas & ground water pollution in different parts of the country. The falling ground water levels in various parts of the country have threatened the sustainability of ground water resource, as water levels have gone deep beyond the economic lifts of pumping.
            Community- based rain water harvesting has in it as much strength today as it ever did before. The several villages facing drought in Gujarat and western Madhya Pradesh which had undertaken rainwater harvesting and water shed development in earlier years face no drinking water problem and water is available to irrigate their crops. Rain water harvesting and recharge can meet even the acid test of bad drought. Traditionally, our ancestors have practised of harvesting rain water in  tankas, zings, ahars, johads etc.

NEED FOR RECHARGING GROUND WATER AQUIFERS

Artificial Recharge is the process by which the ground water reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that under natural conditions of replenishment.  Any man made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer can be considered to be an artificial recharge system.
Natural replenishment of ground water reservoir is slow and is unable to keep pace with the excessive continued exploitation of ground water resources in various parts of the country.  This has resulted in declining ground water levels and depleted ground water resources in some areas of the country.  In order to augment the natural supply of ground water, artificial recharge of ground water has become an important and frontal management strategy in the country.  The artificial recharge efforts are basically augmentation of natural movement of surface water into ground water reservoir through suitable civil structures. The artificial recharge techniques interrelate and integrate the source water to ground water reservoir and are dependent on the hydrogeological situation of the area.
One of the options for mitigating the water crisis is to increase the supply side through artificial recharge and rain water harvesting which is environment friendly, do not require much land and no displacement of population is required.
Roof top rain water harvesting can be adopted in urban and hilly areas to meet water requirements. The roof top rain water can be stored easily in specifically constructed surface or sub-surface tanks. Most of the urban areas depending on ground water supply are facing water scarcity. Dependence on ground water has increased many fold and natural recharge to ground water has diminished, due to urbanization.  The over-development of ground water is resulting in decline of ground water levels and to counter this artificial recharge technique need to be adopted. 
India has large coast line and good percentage of population is residing along it. Saline sea water ingress is being observed due to large scale ground water development at places along the coast line. This has resulted in deterioration of fresh ground water aquifers. In order to protect the fresh ground aquifers along the coast, suitable recharge techniques are to be adopted.

ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE ACTIVITIES TAKEN UP BY CGWB

The CGWB, under the Ministry of Water Resources had implemented a Central Sector Scheme on “Study of Recharge to Ground water“ in IX Plan at a cost of Rs. 25.00 crore, in which recharge structures were constructed in various parts of the country in co-ordination with State Govt. and user groups.  Under the scheme, recharge projects were taken in areas having water scarcity, surplus monsoon runoff and sufficient subsurface storage space, coastal areas affected by seawater ingress and areas of ground water pollution. Under this scheme 174 schemes were taken up and monitoring/ impact assessment has been carried out.  The performance evaluation studies indicate that the recharge structures have contributed to increase availability of ground water especially in lean months (summer) when the demand is more.  These schemes have provided point source recharge. 
During X plan, a demonstrative scheme on “Rain Water Harvesting and Artificial Recharge to Ground Water” has been taken up in over-exploited bocks of four states (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh). The approved cost of projects was Rs. 5.95 crores for implementation by the departments of states under overall technical guidance of CGWB during 2006-08 with 100% funding by the Central Government. The norms adopted in the implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) by the Ministry of Rural Development are being followed in implementation of civil works of the present scheme. Under this scheme, priority is given to hard rock areas having over-exploited ground water resources.
During XI Plan the Central Ground Water Board is implementing the artificial recharge and rain water harvesting studies under the scheme “Ground water management & Regulation” for augmentation and sustainable management of ground water resources in priority to over-exploited /dark blocks, urban areas showing steep decline in ground water levels, drought prone & water scarcity area, coastal areas and sub-mountainous /hilly areas in different parts of the country. A provision of Rs.100 crores has been kept for the scheme. The studies will demonstrate the efficacy of artificial recharge and rain water harvesting structures in identified areas selected on scientific basis and encourage implementing agencies to replicate successful models in similar set ups.
Another scheme “Artificial Recharge to Ground water through Dugwells” is also being implemented. The scheme  is being implemented in Over exploited, Critical and Semi-critical blocks (administrative) in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat by the respective State Governments in association with Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), CGWB, NABARD, NGOs etc. This scheme involves installation of recharge structures in the existing irrigation dug wells of the beneficiary farmers in the affected areas to facilitate ground water recharge. Under the scheme, subsidy is being given to small, marginal and large category farmers for construction of recharge pit near the existing irrigation dugwell.

 

SUCCESS STORIES

The Success stories of artificial recharge structures created and their impact in following states have been compiled state wise.

Andhra Pradesh
Chhattisgarh
Delhi
Karnataka & Goa
Madhya Pradesh
North Eastern States
Orissa
Punjab & Haryana
Tamil Nadu
West Bengal & Sikkim