Groundwater fluctuation and trend in Amritsar, Punjab, India

Abstract

Punjab state in the northwestern part of India constitutes 1. 57% oftotal area in the country and its economy is mainly controlled by agriculture by covering 85% of geographical area with cropping intensity reaching to 184% in the central parts of the state. During last 4 decades a shift from Sugarcane-Maize-Wheat cropping pattern to Wheat-Rice cropping pattern has lead to increase in the demand for irrigation water and further putting stress on the groundwater. Groundwater level monitoring has been carried out on 4 observation wells in 4 blocks namely Ajnala, Majitha, Rayya and Tarsika of Amritsar for 7 years during January 2006 to December 2013 for assessing the groundwater level. Groundwater occurs under phreatic condition and depth to groundwater varied from 6 to 11 m (bgl) in Ajnala, 5 to 11 m (bgl) in Majitha, 14 to 19 m (bgl) in Rayya and 9 to 14 m (bgl) in Tarsika. The increased depth of 6 m was observed in Majitha and 5 m was observed in other 3 blocks. Monthly groundwater level data have been analysed which indicates that the ground water is declining in all the four blocks with variable rate. The decline of groundwater level in each block during 7 years has become an area of concern for understanding the over exploitation of groundwater scenario in the region.