Temporal Analysis of Trends in Groundwater Level of Jind District, Haryana

Dependence on groundwater has increased in past few decades due to changing climatic scenario, growth of human population, industrialization and urbanization to meet the resultant needs. Consequently, it has been mined in excess to that is available that has resulted in lowering of groundwater table. India being the world's largest consumer of groundwater is affected badly by this problem, especially the parts of Indo-Gangetic plain like Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Western part of Uttar Pradesh. Haryana being an agrarian state is in a critical position with respect to groundwater with 56cm per year depletion rate. Present research will focus on analyzing the trends of groundwater level of one of the agriculturally developed district of Haryana state i.e. Jind, from the year 1975 to 2015. The data for the study is taken from Groundwater Cell, Directorate of Agriculture, Panchkula, Haryana. The study reveals that the study area is in a critical condition with respect to the availability of groundwater with a stage of groundwater development at 99 percent. Groundwater table depth has increased from 11.25mbgl in 1975 to 13.76mbgl in 2015 with some ups and downs in between. Rainfall being the highest contributor of water to the aquifers has inverse relationship with groundwater level. In the year of good rainfall, groundwater level has improved and vice-versa. On the basis of the result of study, the authors are of the view that controlled groundwater use along with water conservation measures is required in the study area. Groundwater is the main source of water in 306 villages of the study area for domestic and irrigation purposes. Therefore, a cautious use of groundwater is required to avoid introduction of crisis related to water in future.