Intensive Groundwater Exploitation in the Punjab: an Evaluation Of
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Intensive Groundwater Exploitation in the Punjab – an Evaluation of Resource and Quality Trends Groundwater Science Programme Open Report OR/14/068 BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GROUNDWATER SCIENCE PROGRAMME OPEN REPORT OR/14/068 Intensive Groundwater Exploitation in the Punjab – an Evaluation of Resource and Quality Trends D J Lapworth, K Gopal, M S Rao, A M MacDonald Keywords Groundwater resilience, intensive pumping, groundwater residence times, groundwater quality. Front cover Irrigated wheat fields in Bist- Doab, Punjab, India (DJ Lapworth). Bibliographical reference D J LAPWORTH, K GOPAL, M S RAO, A M MACDONALD. 2014. Intensive Groundwater Exploitation in the Punjab – an Evaluation of Resource and Quality Trends. British Geological Survey Open Report, OR/14/068. 45pp. Copyright in materials derived from the British Geological Survey’s work is owned by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and/or the authority that commissioned the work. You may not copy or adapt this publication without first obtaining permission. Contact the BGS Intellectual Property Rights Section, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, e-mail [email protected]. You may quote extracts of a reasonable length without prior permission, provided a full acknowledgement is given of the source of the extract. © NERC 2014. All rights reserved Keyworth, Nottingham British Geological Survey 2014 BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY The full range of our publications is available from BGS shops at British Geological Survey offices Nottingham, Edinburgh, London and Cardiff (Welsh publications only) see contact details below or shop online at www.geologyshop.com BGS Central Enquiries Desk Tel 0115 936 3143 Fax 0115 936 3276 The London Information Office also maintains a reference collection of BGS publications, including maps, for consultation. email [email protected] We publish an annual catalogue of our maps and other publications; this catalogue is available online or from any of the Environmental Science Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham BGS shops. NG12 5GG Tel 0115 936 3241 Fax 0115 936 3488 The British Geological Survey carries out the geological survey of email [email protected] Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the latter as an agency service for the government of Northern Ireland), and of the surrounding continental shelf, as well as basic research projects. Murchison House, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3LA It also undertakes programmes of technical aid in geology in Tel 0131 667 1000 Fax 0131 668 2683 developing countries. email [email protected] The British Geological Survey is a component body of the Natural Environment Research Council. Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD Tel 020 7589 4090 Fax 020 7584 8270 Tel 020 7942 5344/45 email [email protected] Columbus House, Greenmeadow Springs, Tongwynlais, Cardiff CF15 7NE Tel 029 2052 1962 Fax 029 2052 1963 Maclean Building, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford OX10 8BB Tel 01491 838800 Fax 01491 692345 Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, Colby House, Stranmillis Court, Belfast BT9 5BF Tel 028 9038 8462 Fax 028 9038 8461 www.bgs.ac.uk/gsni/ Parent Body Natural Environment Research Council, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon SN2 1EU Tel 01793 411500 Fax 01793 411501 www.nerc.ac.uk Website www.bgs.ac.uk Shop online at www.geologyshop.com Foreword This report is an output from the project Groundwater resilience to climate change and abstraction in the Indo-Gangetic basin Groundwater resilience to climate change and abstraction in the Indo-Gangetic basin is a two-year (2012-14) research project strengthening the evidence-base linking groundwater resources, climate variability and abstraction in the Indo-Gangetic basin. This project has been funded by UK aid from the UK Government, and led by the British Geological Survey, however the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK Government’s official policies. The project has two main aims: To develop a strategic overview assessment of the occurrence and status of groundwater resources in the Indo-Gangetic basin and develop a map of groundwater typologies spanning the groundwater system To strengthen the evidence-base linking groundwater resources, climate and abstraction through a series of four targeted case studies in the basin. The project team involves researchers from the British Geological Survey, IIT Kharagpur, ISET- Nepal, ISET International, Meta-Meta, National Institute of Hydrology (Roorkee), Overseas Development Institute, University College London, University of Dhaka and Bangladesh Water Development Board. For more information: http://www.bgs.ac.uk/research/groundwater/international/ i Acknowledgements As with all projects we would like to thank are a number of BGS and external colleagues for their help and assistance: The owners (private and state) of the boreholes and hand pumps which were sampled as part of this study are thanked for allowing access to their sites. DFID are thanked for funding the research project. Er. R.D. Singh, Director of National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), and Dr. Sudhir Kumar, head of HI division, NIH Roorkee, are thanked for facilitating the research programme in NIH. Sh. Sushil Gupta, Chairman, Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), is thanked for allowing access to long-term monitoring data for the Bist-Doab catchment. Thanks to Er. K.S. Takshi, Chief Engineer, Irrigation (Research Punjab), Punjab, Er. J.P. Singh, Director, RSDD, Er. P.S. Bhogla, Punjab and Director, Punjab Water Resources and Environment Directorate, Chandigarh, Punjab. Mr Mikhail Smilovic (McGill University) is thanked for his assistance in the field during the pre-monsoon sampling in May 2013. Daren Gooddy (BGS Wallingford Laboratory) is thanked for carrying out CFC analysis of groundwater. Debbie Allen (BGS) is thanked for helping to arrange the field kit for groundwater sampling. Staff at the BGS Keyworth Laboratories, and Nuclear Hydrology Laboratory, NIH are thanked for carrying out stable isotope and chemical analysis of samples. ii Contents Foreword ......................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ ii Contents ......................................................................................................................................... iii Summary ....................................................................................................................................... vi 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background – Punjab and the green revolution .............................................................. 1 1.2 Groundwater and Irrigation in the Punjab ...................................................................... 2 2 Case study area ....................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Geography and climate ................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Geology .......................................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Hydrogeology ................................................................................................................. 6 2.4 groundwater quality Issues from previous studies ......................................................... 7 3 Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 8 3.1 Long-term changes in groundwater level ....................................................................... 8 3.2 Environmental tracers ..................................................................................................... 8 3.3 Groundwater sampling ................................................................................................... 9 3.4 Sample analysis ............................................................................................................ 11 3.5 Installation of water level and SEC loggers ................................................................. 11 4 Results ................................................................................................................................... 12 4.1 Long-term changes in groundwater level ..................................................................... 12 4.2 stable isotopes ............................................................................................................... 13 4.3 Dissolved Gases (CFC-12 and CFC-11) ...................................................................... 16 4.4 Nitrate, Chloride and SEC ............................................................................................ 18 4.5 Trace elements .............................................................................................................. 20 5 Discussion .............................................................................................................................. 22 5.1 Groundwater flow and recharge processes: evidence from natrual and anthropogenic tracers ..................................................................................................................................... 22 5.2 Implications for long-term