SEMINAR Dr. N.S. Rajendran

GROUND WATER DEPLETION

CAUSES, IMPLICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS

By
Dr. N.S. Rajendran
Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Biochemistry
Sree Narayana College, Alathur, Kerala

Aim:
To recognize the potential threat of groundwater depletion upon our day–
to–day life

Objectives:

▪ To identify the status of groundwater in India

▪ To discuss the causes of groundwater depletion

▪ To recognize the potential threats of groundwater depletion upon the
lives of people and other living things

▪ To suggest remedial measures to solve the problem

GROUNDWATER – WHAT’S IT?

• Water present below earth’s
surface

• Among particles of soil, rocks, etc.
• Formed by percolation of

rainwater through soil particles

• Water Table – the upper level of
ground water

WHAT’S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF GROUNDWATER?

• Used by human beings
• We get it using wells – shallow or

deep tube wells
• Its depletion will affect our life

directly

WHAT ARE THE USES OF GROUNDWATER?

HOW IS GROUNDWATER DEPLETED?

When the rate of removal > rate of formation

WHAT IS THE CONDITION IN INDIA?

The map, showing groundwater withdrawals as a
percentage of groundwater recharge, is based on state-
level estimates of annual withdrawals and recharge
reported by India's Ministry of Water Resources. The three
states included in this study are labeled. Credit:
NASA/Matt Rodell

WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS OF
GROUNDWATER DEPLETION?

NOT WELL

HOW CAN WE SOLVE THE PROBLEM?

GROUND WATER ROOF WATER
RECHARGE HARVESTING

PREVENT
GROUNDWATER

DEPLETION

INCREASE PLANT DEVELOP WATER-
COVER EFFICIENT

AGRICULTURE
STRATEGIES

GROUNDWATER RECHARGE

ABANDONED BOREWELLS FOR GROUNDWATER
RECHARGING

References

• Beven, K. J. (2020, January 27). hydrologic sciences. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/science/hydrologic-sciences

• 13.3: Groundwater. Provided by: CK-12. Located at: http://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Earth-
Science-For-High-School/section/13.3/

• The Groundwater Foundation, The National Ground Water Association, 601 Dempsey Road,
Westerville OH 43081, USA

• Bekele Shiferaw, INDEPENDENT EVALUATION GROUP1818 H STREET, NW
WASHINGTON DC [email protected]

• Central. Ground Water Board. Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India (as on March
2004) (Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India, 2006)

• The Telegraph Online, Sunday, 06 March 2022 E-paper
• The Hindu, The alarming levels of India’s groundwater, special correspondent, July 11, 2017
• India's Water Economy Report, World Bank, India Water Portal