Description

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Context:

The Union Minister of Jal Shakti has released the Annual Ground Water Quality Report for the entire country for the year 2024.

Key details

Monitoring sites: More than 15,200 monitored sites; 4,982 trending stations evaluated for targeted studies.
Cation chemistry: Calcium is dominant, followed by sodium and potassium.
Anion Chemistry: Bicarbonate is the most common, followed by chloride and sulfate.
Water-type: Calcium-bicarbonate type prevails throughout the country.
Contamination problems: Sporadic presence of nitrates, fluorides, and arsenic in some areas.
Seasonal trends: Monsoon recharge positively affects parameters such as electrical conductivity (EC) and fluoride levels and improves water quality.
Agricultural Suitability: Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) and Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC): 81% of irrigation-safe samples. Localized high sodium and RSC values require targeted action.
In northeastern states, 100% of groundwater samples are classified as excellent for irrigation purposes.

Parameter	Details
Total Annual Groundwater Recharge	446.90 BCM
Annual Extractable Groundwater	406.19 BCM
Annual Groundwater Extraction	245.64 BCM
Stage of Groundwater Extraction	60.47%

Assessment Units Classification

Category	Units (No.)	Percentage (%)	Details
Safe	4951	73.4	Groundwater use is within sustainable limits.
Semi-Critical	711	10.5	Moderately stressed; requires monitoring.
Critical	206	3.05	High stress; significant interventions required.
Over-Exploited	751	11.1	Groundwater use exceeds recharge; urgent corrective action needed.
Saline	127	1.8	Predominantly brackish/saline groundwater.

Trends and Observations

Parameter	2024	2023	2017	Remarks
Total Annual GW Recharge (BCM)	446.90	Slight reduction	Increased by 15 BCM	Increase attributed to recharge from tanks, ponds, and conservation structures.
Recharge from Tanks, Ponds & WCS	25.34	24.95	13.98	Increased by 11.36 BCM since 2017.
Percentage of Safe Units	73.4	73.14	62.6	Shows improvement in groundwater conditions.
Percentage of Over-Exploited Units	11.13	11.23	17.24	Decline reflects better groundwater management practices.

Improvements in Groundwater Conditions

Category	Details
Recharge Improvement	Increase of 0.39 BCM in recharge from tanks, ponds, and WCS in 2024 compared to 2023.
Decrease in Stress Levels	Reduction in over-exploited, critical, and semi-critical units compared to 2023.
Assessment Units Improved	Groundwater conditions improved in 128 units compared to 2023.

What is groundwater recharge?

In a general sense, groundwater recharge refers to the process of downward flow of water through the soil into the groundwater.
Water flow can be caused by rain or precipitation, melting snow that has percolated down through unsaturated zones.
Water also percolates through riverbeds, lakes or man-made water structures to catch rainwater, etc.
Water extraction refers to pumping water from groundwater through wells, tube wells, etc. for drinking, irrigation, industrial purposes, etc.
When the rate of groundwater recharge is lower than the rate of water extraction, it leads to a decline in the water table, causing a water crisis.

Source:

PIB

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.The Ground Water Report for the year 2024 highlights critical issues regarding the depletion and contamination of groundwater resources across India. Analyze the findings of the report and discuss the major challenges in the sustainable management of groundwater. (150 words)