Rapid depletion of groundwater in north India has become a norm during the last few decades. Between 2002 and 2022, about 95% of India’s groundwater depletion occurred in north India. Groundwater use and summer monsoon rainfall variability are the two main drivers of groundwater storage. Climate change can throw new challenges for the sustainability of groundwater as a result of increased groundwater pumping to meet irrigation demands for crops.
Also, a warming climate will increase the frequency of hydroclimate extremes — floods and droughts; already such hydroclimate extremes have manifested across the world, India included, and such events will become more frequent with further increase as the world gets increasingly warmer. A less discussed aspect is the role of increased evapotranspiration due to warming climate, which will limit water availability for groundwater recovery. But the role of evapotranspiration in negatively impacting groundwater recovery will be less as increased groundwater use for irrigation will be the main driver of groundwater usage.
Also read | Recharging groundwater by water-harvesting measures
