Study of groundwater in different hydro- geological situations in Jhalawar district of Rajasthan for the sustainable management practices under the National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM)
Student name: Ms Anuja Bharadwaj
Guide: Dr Nirupam Datta
Year of completion: 2018
Host Organisation: Central Ground Water Board, Western Region, Jaipur
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Mr Suresh Pareek
Abstract: In developing country like India, the unplanned development and exploitation of water resources by rising population, for their commercial, domestic and agricultural purposes, has led to depletion of ground water. According to Indian Agricultural Statistic, 2008 our growing dependability on bore well irrigation has been increased to 60% in 2006-07from mere 1% in 1960-61.It has a dry climate in summer and humid in monsoons with an average rainfall of 946.6 mm. Major litho-units of district are basalt, sandstones and shale. The study is based on two objectives; first is to make a 3-D lithological, aquifer disposition model and block wise 3-D Sections using Rockworks16 and MapInfo Software and second objective is to propose the ground water management plan for sustainable management practices. For the first objective, compilation of existing data, filling up the data gaps after identifying them is done as per the requirement of the software whereas for the latter, analysis of models and statistical data regarding land use under agriculture and cropping pattern is interpreted for proposing management plan. The major issues are limited sub-storage space, shallow groundwater level which obstructs recharge and water scarcity during rabi cultivation. The management plan is divided into supply side and demand side. The former includes installation of recharge shafts, farm ponds, anicuts whereas latter includes strategies like use of sprinkler and drip irrigation and change in cropping pattern. Sprinkler irrigation can be done in half of the total irrigated area, drip irrigation can be done for irrigated area under orange and cropping pattern can be changed from more to less water intensive crops that is wheat to gram as the market price of both the crops are almost similar. It has been calculated that current stage of ground water development is 98.66% which may come down to 59.83% by implementing proposed interventions.
Keywords: NAQUIM, Aquifer Mapping, Ground water management plan, Rockwork16, MapInfo
