Groundwater assessment in a canal command area for sustainable irrigation in a part of the Indo-Gangetic alluvial plain

Abstract

The growing dependence of irrigation on groundwater and its excessive use for other purposes has an adverse impact on the resource domain. This has resulted in unsustainable over-extraction and subsequent lowering of the groundwater table. The present study shows that groundwater levels can be kept near stable even with more extraction for increased cropping intensity of up to 222% by opting conjunctive use, as against the present intensity of 163.1%. In addition, the groundwater sustainable area increased from 65% to 92% and the groundwater depletion area decreased from 30% to 7%. The waterlogged area also reduced from 5% to 1% in a period of three years, thereby increasing gross margins. Groundwater system simulation shows that groundwater level will remain sustainable even after 10 years at 222% cropping intensity by adopting conjunctive use of groundwater with canal water.