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Groundwater Development and Management: Issues and

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Groundwater Development
and Management:
Issues and Challenges
in South Asia
 Groundwater Development
and Management:
Issues and Challenges
in South Asia

Edited by
Pradip K. Sikdar
Professor, Department of Environment Management
Indian Institute of Social Welfare and
Business Management
Kolkata 700073

Capital Publishing Company

NEW DELHI KOLKATA
Capital Publishing Company
7/28, Mahaveer Street, Ansari Road
Daryaganj, New Delhi 110 002

© 2018, Capital Publishing Company

Copublished by Springer,
International Publishing, Cham, Switzerland
with Capital Publishing Company, New Delhi, India.

Groundwater Development and Management: Issues and Challenges in

South Asia

Pradip K. Sikdar

ISBN: 978-93-81891-35-3

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in

any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval
system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Typeset by Innovative Processors, New Delhi

Printed in India.
 Preface

Groundwater is the most preferred source of water in different user sectors in

South Asia due to its near-universal availability, dependability and low capital
cost. The increasing dependence on groundwater as a reliable source of water
has resulted in indiscriminate extraction in various parts of South Asia without
taking into account the recharging capacities of aquifers and other environmental
factors. The irrigation sector remains the major consumer of groundwater in
India, accounting for 92% of its annual withdrawal. The development of
groundwater in India is highly uneven and shows considerable variations from
place to place. Meeting the growing demand for water is further constrained by
the deteriorating groundwater quality. In the past a major advantage of using
groundwater was that it normally required little or no treatment, but this is no
longer the case. High arsenic, fluoride, chloride, nitrate etc. concentrations,
primarily as a result of increased agricultural production since the 1960s, affect
many groundwater supplies. The same is true for pesticides, that are widely
used for weed control in agriculture, on roads and railways, and that are also
used to control pests in agriculture and industry. Perhaps the greatest threat to
South Asia and India’s water resources, and as a consequence also water supply
and the environment, may come from the changing climate. However, there is
great uncertainty about what the effects on water resources will be from climate
change. From a groundwater perspective it could cause a long term decline
in aquifer storage, increased frequency and severity of droughts and floods as
well as the mobilisation of pollutants due to seasonally high water tables and
saline intrusion in coastal aquifers.
Management of groundwater resources in South Asia is an extremely
complex challenge. The highly uneven distribution of groundwater and its
utilization make it impossible to have a single management strategy for the
region as a whole. Any strategy for scientific management of groundwater
resources should involve a combination of supply side and demand side
measures depending on the regional setting. The likely adverse impacts of
global climate change on the availability and quality of groundwater also
demand significant political attention at the international and national levels.
Groundwater management also calls for a paradigm shift from development
vi Preface

strategy to management strategy against the backdrop of several million

operating groundwater abstraction structures in South Asia to ensure food and
energy security in the region.
This book is organized in twenty three chapters which not only highlight
the problems of groundwater management in South Asia, in general, and in
India, in particular, but it also provides solutions using both traditional and
modern techniques. The first two chapters cover the problems and challenges
in groundwater management in South Asia and India. The next five chapters
deal with the various tools that are used in understanding the geology, structure,
3D configuration of the aquifer systems, and groundwater flow and pollutant
transport such as geophysical techniques, environmental isotopes, geostatistics,
remote sensing, geographical information system and numerical modelling.
Chapters 8 and 9 describe the development and management of the coastal
aquifer systems and springs in hilly regions for community water supply.
Drilling, construction, design and development of wells are very important
for a sustainable supply of groundwater from different geological formations;
these are covered in Chapter 10. Chapter 11 deals with pumping tests and a field
method to analyse pumping test data to determine the cardinal aquifer parameters
such as hydraulic conductivity, transmissivity and storage coefficient; and safe
spacing between two pumping wells. The next five chapters cover the quality
of groundwater with respect to arsenic and fluoride, their impact on the food
chain and human health and the methods of treatment of arsenic and fluoride
contaminated groundwater. The likely adverse impacts of global climate change
on the availability and quality of groundwater also invite significant political
attention at the international and national levels which are covered in Chapter 17.
Aspects related to rainwater harvesting, artificial recharging and development
and management of baseflow for public water supply in semi-arid areas are
included in the next two chapters. The subject of groundwater governance has
been addressed in Chapters 20, 21 and 22 encompassing economics, pricing,
jurisdiction, legislation, policy and regulations, legal framework and community
participation. The final chapter of this book depicts a road-map to evolve a
paradigm to ensure safety and security of groundwater-based water supply.
This book addresses the various technical aspects of groundwater
development and management and offers a meaningful and feasible guidance
for better managing the stressed groundwater resources in South Asia including
India. The book will serve as a guide to those who are concerned with various
aspects of groundwater science like researchers, academics, professionals and
students in diverse fields like geology, geophysics, hydrology, environmental
science, environmental engineering, environmental management, civil
engineering and irrigation engineering. Others who will benefit from this book
are administrators, policy makers and economists who are also concerned with
the formulation and evaluation of plans for the development and management
of groundwater resources.
 Preface  vii

The editor conveys his appreciation to all the authors of this book for their
invaluable contributions. Without their contributions and support this book
would not have been possible. The editor is thankful to the Director of the
Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management for providing the
infrastructural facilities. The editor also thanks the Publisher Capital Publishing
Company and Co-publisher Springer for their kind support and great efforts in
bringing the book to fruition.

Pradip K. Sikdar
 About the Editor

Professor Pradip K. Sikdar received his education at the University of

Calcutta (Geology/Hydrogeology) and the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
UK (Integrated Coastal Zone Management). A teacher by profession and a
hydrogeologist by education, he was a Senior Scientist and Executive Secretary
at the Centre for Study of Man and Environment, Kolkata and a Lecturer at
the Department of Applied Geology, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad before
joining the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management at the
Department of Environment Management in 2000. Currently as a Professor
at the Department of Environment Management he is actively engaged in
research and teaching of groundwater hydrology and environmental impact
assessment. He has over 28 years of experience in project management and
implementation, field and research work in groundwater systems including the
application of computer models in the scientific evaluation of hydrogeologic
systems, groundwater resources development and protection. He also provides
technical and management advice on a wide range of subjects dealing with
watershed management, natural resources development and environmental
management issues to industries, consultant groups and NGOs. He has carried
out extensive research on arsenic contamination in groundwater of the Bengal
Basin and his primary interest in arsenic is to explain the spatial distribution
of As-pollution in aquifers of the Bengal Basin. His present research also deals
with the sustainability of water supply in the fluoride affected and semi-arid
regions of West Bengal and the design of groundwater abstraction structures.
Prof. Sikdar supervises several students for Master, Doctoral and Post-
doctoral research work. Up until now five research students have been
conferred the Ph.D. degree under his guidance. He is also Visiting Faculty at
the Departments of Geology and Environmental Science of the University of
Calcutta and at the Department of Geology of the Presidency University, where
he teaches Hydrogeology and Water Resource Management. He has delivered
several lectures in national and international conferences, seminars, workshops,
UGC sponsored refresher courses, etc. He is serving as a reviewer for many
national and international journals. Prof. Sikdar is a member of several national
and international professional institutions and societies and is also on the Board
x  About the Editor

of Editors of some leading national journals. He was a Member of the CGWB

State Level Technical Evaluation Committee and West Bengal Fact-finding
Commission on Environment (non-official). He has published more than 100
research papers in international and national journals, conference proceedings,
books and 35 project reports. He has authored the book ‘Groundwater of
West Bengal: Assessment, Development and Management’ (in Bengali) and
co-authored the book ‘A Text Book of Environment’. Prof. Sikdar has also
edited two books on ‘Interlinking of Indian Rivers’. He is the recipient of the
22nd Dewang Mehta Business School Award 2014 for the ‘Best Professor in
Water Resources Management’ and Groundwater Science Excellence Award
in 2015 by the International Association of Hydrogeologists – India Chapter in
appreciation of his achievements in the field of groundwater in India.
 About the Contributors

Dr. Achiransu Acharyya, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Visva

Bharati (A Central University). E-mail: achiransu@gmail.com
Dr. Ajoy K. Misra, Former Superintending Hydrogeologist, Eastern Regional
Office, Central Ground Water Board, Salt Lake, Kolkata – 700091. E-mail:
misraajoy@yahoo.co.in
Prof. Arunabha Majumder, Professor-Emeritus, School of Water Resources
Engineering, Jadavpur University; Member, Arsenic & Fluoride Task Force,
Government of West Bengal; and Former Director-Professor, All India Institute
of Hygiene & Public Health, Government of India. E-mail: arunabhamajumder@
hotmail.com
Er. Asish Chakraborty, Former Member, Exploratory Drilling & Material
Management (ED&MM), Central Ground Water Board, Faridabad – 121001.
E-mail: chakrabortyashis54@gmail.com
Dr. Atul K. Sahai, Scientist G, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune
– 411008, India. E-mail: sahai@tropmet.res.in
Mr. Ayan Biswas, Partnerships Manager, Asia Hub, Akvo. E-mail:
ayanbiswas2003@gmail.com
Prof. Bhabesh C. Sarkar, Professor, Department of Applied Geology, Indian
Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad – 826004. E-mail: bhabeshsarkar2005@
gmail.com
Prof. Bimalendu B. Bhattacharya, Emeritus Professor, S.N. Bose National
Centre for Basic Sciences, Salt Lake, Kolkata – 700106 and Former Director,
Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad – 826004. E-mail: bimalism@gmail.com
Mr. Dipak K. Mukhopadhyay, Former Senior Geologist, Geological Survey
of India. E-mail: dipak.1951@rediffmail.com
Dr. Dipankar Saha, Member, Survey Assessment & Monitoring (SAM),
Central Ground Water Board, Faridabad – 121001. E-mail: dsaha002@yahoo.
com
xii  About the Contributors

Mr. Gautam Ghosh, Former Director, Geological Survey of India. E- mail:

gautamghosh_28@rediffmail.com
Dr. Jared Buono, Eco-Hydrologist and Independent Consultant. E-mail: jared.
buono@gmail.com
Prof. John M. McArthur, Professor, Department of Earth Science, University
College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K. E-mail: j.mcarthur@
ucl.ac.uk
Dr. Paulami Sahu, Assistant Professor, School of Environment & Sustainable
Development, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar – 382030. E-mail:
paulami_sahu@cug.ac.in
Prof. Pradip K. Sikdar, Professor, Department of Environment Management,
Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Kolkata – 700073.
E-mail: p_sikdar@hotmail.com
Dr. Rajib Chattopadhyay, Scientist D, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology,
Pune –411008, India. E-mail: rajib@tropmet.res.in
Mr. Ranjan K. Ray, Scientist D, Central Ground Water Board, Faridabad –
121001. E-mail: ranjanray.cgwb@gmail.com
Mr. Saheb Das, Research Assistant, Centre for Ground Water Studies, Kolkata
– 700032. E-mail: dassaheb1986@gmail.com
Prof. Saroj K. Sanyal, Former Vice-Chancellor, Bidhan Chandra Krishi
Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia – 741 252, West Bengal. E-mail:
sksanyalnaip@gmail.com
Mr. Shouri Dutta, Research Assistant, Department of Environment
Management, Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management,
Kolkata – 700073. E-mail: shouridutta09@gmail.com
Er. Subrata Halder, Executive Engineer (A-I), Department of Water
Resources Investigation & Development, Government of West Bengal. E-mail:
shalder_2007@yahoo.co.in
Dr. Sudhir Kumar, Scientist G, National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee,
Uttarakhand –247667. E-mail: sudhir.nih@gmail.com
Dr. Surajit Chakraborty, Assistant Professor, Department of Environment
Management, Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management,
Kolkata – 700073. E-mail: surajitchak@rediffmail.com
Mr. Tapan K. Ray, Former Additional Director, Department of Water
Resources Investigation & Development, Government of West Bengal. E-mail:
tapankumarray.geologist@gmail.com
Dr. Utsab Ghosal, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Environment
Management, Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management,
Kolkata – 700073. E-mail: ghosalutsab@gmail.com
 Contents

Preface v
About the Editor ix
About the Contributors xi

1. Problems and Challenges for Groundwater Management in

South Asia
Pradip K. Sikdar 1
2. Groundwater Resources of India: Potential, Challenges and
Management
Dipankar Saha and Ranjan K. Ray 21
3. Application of Geophysical Techniques in Groundwater
Management
Bimalendu B. Bhattacharya 45
4. Environmental Isotopes in Groundwater Applications
Sudhir Kumar 77
5. Geostatistics in Groundwater Modelling
Bhabesh C. Sarkar 147
6. Application of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information
System in Groundwater Study
Surajit Chakraborty 169
7. Numerical Groundwater Modelling
Pradip K. Sikdar 189
8. Development and Management of Coastal Aquifer System through
Seawater Intrusion Modelling
Subrata Halder 207
9. Spring Protection and Management: Context, History and
Examples of Spring Management in India
Jared Buono 225
 xiv Contents

10. Water Well Drilling, Well Construction and Well Development

Ashis Chakraborty 241
11. Pumping Test for Aquifers: Analysis and Evaluation
Pradip K. Sikdar 265
12. Arsenic in Groundwater
John M. McArthur 277
13. Arsenic Contaminated Irrigation Water and Its Impact on
Food Chain
Saroj K. Sanyal 307
14. Fluoride Pollution in Groundwater
Paulami Sahu 327
15. Human Health Hazards due to Arsenic and Fluoride
Contamination in Drinking Water and Food Chain
Gautam Ghosh and Dipak K. Mukhopadhyay 351
16. Arsenic and Excess Fluoride Removal in Public Water Supply: Key
Issues and Challenges
Arunabha Majumder 371
17. Impact of Climatic Stress on Groundwater Resources in the
Coming Decades over South Asia
Rajib Chattopadhyay, Surajit Chakraborty and Atul K. Sahai 395
18. Rainwater Harvesting and Artificial Recharge of Groundwater
Ajoy Kumar Misra 419
19. Hydrogeological Assessment for Development and
Management of Baseflow for Public Water Supply in
Semi-arid and Fluoride Affected Hard Rock Areas
Pradip K. Sikdar, Shouri Dutta, Saheb Das, Surajit
Chakraborty and Utsab Ghosal 437
20. Groundwater Pricing and Groundwater Markets
Achiransu Acharyya 465
21. Legislation for Effective Groundwater Management in
South Asian Countries
Tapan K. Ray 483
22. Catalyzing Peoples’ Participation for Groundwater Management
Ayan Biswas 499
23. Way Forward and Future Strategies
Pradip K. Sikdar 523

Index 529

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