Impact of land use changes and management practices on groundwater resources in Kolar district, Southern India

Garg, Kaushal K.; Anantha, K.H.; Nune, Rajesh; Akuraju, Venkata Radha; Singh, Pushpraj; Gumma, Murali Krishna; Dixit, Sreenath; Ragab, Ragab ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2887-7616. 2020 Impact of land use changes and management practices on groundwater resources in Kolar district, Southern India. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 31, 100732. 21, pp. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2020.100732

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2020.100732

Abstract/Summary

Study region: This study analyzes the impact of land use changes on the hydrology of Kolar district in the state of Karnataka, India. Kolar receives on average 565 mm (σ = 130) rainfall during June to October and has a wide gap between its water supply and demand. Study focus: This research identifies the reasons and causes of the gap. A water balance model was successfully calibrated and validated against measurements of groundwater level, recharge and surface runoff. New hydrological insights for the region: The study revealed that between 1972 and 2011, there was a major shift from grass and rainfed crop lands to eucalyptus plantation and irrigated cultivation. About 17.7 % and 18 % of the district area converted into eucalyptus plantation and irrigated lands during this period, respectively. Eucalyptus plantations tended to cause large losses by ET leading to increase in soil moisture deficit and reduction in the recharge to groundwater and in surface runoff (approx. 30 %). The irrigation demand of the district increased from 57 mm (1972) to 140 mm (2011) which resulted in increased groundwater abstraction by 145 %. The expansion of the irrigated area is the major contributing factor for widening the demand-supply gap (62 %) of the freshwater availability. Results could help various stakeholders, including district and national authorities to develop the most suitable water management strategies in order to close the gap between water supply and demand.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2020.100732
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	UKCEH Fellows
ISSN:	2214-5818
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	water balance, groundwater recharge, water table depletion, groundwater resilience, land use change, eucalyptus
NORA Subject Terms:	Hydrology Agriculture and Soil Science
Date made live:	27 Oct 2020 13:52 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/528791

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2020.100732

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

UKCEH Fellows

ISSN:

2214-5818

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.

Additional Keywords:

water balance, groundwater recharge, water table depletion, groundwater resilience, land use change, eucalyptus