Ground Water Recharge in parts of Ganga Basin as a Measure for

Ganga River Rejuvenation

Source: STATUS PAPER ON RIVER GANGA , MOEF

• Discharge in Ganga at Kanpur is about 700 m3/s during post monsoon (Oct-Nov)

• This dwindles to less than 200 m3/s during lean period

• In some sections GW is feeding Ganga during lean season hence ground water recharge would lead to enhanced base flow into the river

FLOW IN RIVER GANGA

Ganga river – showing meagre flows during lean season (during January, 2015)

• During lean period Ganga is fed by snow melt and ground water, hence discharge is meager

• Several ground water fed rivers/ streams join river Ganga and contribute to the flow

• Ganga river is hydraulically connected with all its micro water sheds through ground water base flows and any depletion in ground water resource affects the flow in river.

• Characteristic of Streams joining Ganga has changed over time from effluent to influent and hence flow in lean season is drastically reduced and several streams have become seasonal in nature.

• Channels of these streams has been silted – reducing storage capacity. Thus monsoon runoff quickly flows out of the catchment.

Issues and Problems

PROPOSED PILOT PROJECT

B

Kalyani nadi

Ishan nadi

Madni nadi

Non nadi

D

Unnao district

Kanpur districtBithoor

Pariyar

Bilhaur

B

Proposed Interventions/ measures for GW recharge in catchment areas of streams joining river Ganga

a. Construction of check dams b. Development of streams channelsc. Revival and repair of water bodies such as ponds

and tanksd. Construction of recharge trenches in existing

channelse. On farm activity- including contour bunding, land

leveling , rain water harvesting structures etc

Upstream side of River near Pariyar (joining Kalyani)Upstream side of river Kalyanai, Pariyar

Upstream side of river Kalyani near Jamalpur – Channel is siltedFigure : Upstream side of river Kalyani Near Jamalpur

~ 10 m

~ 20 m

~ 25 m ~ 10 m

Pictorial Representation of field conditions for proposed interventions

Downstream side of Non River near Bithoor

Upstream side of Non River near Bithoor

Upstream side of River Non near Bithoor

Downstream side of River Non near Bithoor

Upstream side of River Ishan Near Bilhaur

Upstream side of River Ishan Near Bilhaur

It is proposed that the rain water along seasonal rivers will be harnessed through construction of series of check dams so as to increase the resident period of the water in these channels.

~ 15 m

~ 10 m~ 15 m

~ 20 m

Pictorial Representation of field conditions for proposed interventions

Proposed Interventions in Kalyani catchment and estimation of expected ground water recharge with cost estimates (tentative), District Unnao

Length of stream – 74 kmCatchment area – 490 sq kmName of Stream/ drain

Feasible structures/ activities

quantity (in nos. or area

in ha)

Total volume to be

harnessed (TCM)

Tentative unit cost (in

Rs lakh)

Total tentative cost (in rs

lakh)

Expected Annual GW recharge

(TCM)

Kalyani Masonary Check dams 25 nos 625 20 500 468.75

Drain/stream

development (20m widening x1m

deepening) 75 km 1500 0.5/1000

m3 750 2250

Recharge trenches (~5m x 5m x 2m) 200 nos 0.5 100 543.75

Revival, repair of

water bodies (~50mx50mx2m)

100 nos 500 1 100 375

On farm activities

(proposed in 10% of total catchment area)

(in ha)4900 ha 0.2/ha 980 4900

TOTAL 2625 2430 8537.58.54 MCM

Summary of Feasible Interventions, Bithoor and Pariyar areasName of Stream/ drain

Length of stream

(km)

Catchment area (km2)

Annual monsoon

rainfall (mm)

Annual monsoon

Runoff (30% of

2*3) (TCM)

10% of annual

monsoon Runoff (TCM)

Feasible structures/ activities

Total volume

to be harnessed (TCM)

Total tentative cost (in Rs lakh)

Expected Annual GW

recharge (TCM)

1 2 3 4 5 6 8 10 11

Ishan 340 1900 700 399000 39900 CD, Stream development, Rech Trench, revival/ const

of water ponds/ tanks,

on farm activities

6250 5050 21865

Kalyani 74 490 700 102900 10290 2625 2430 8537.5

Non 44 300 700 63000 6300 1675 1450 5152.5

Madni 36 180 700 37800 3780 1175 900 3647.5

TOTAL 494 2870 602700 11725 9830 39202.5In MCM 39.20

Total tentative cost of the proposed project = Rs. 98.30 croreExpected recharge to GW ~ 40 MCM

The augmentation of the river flow and ultimately contribution to the flow in Ganga river resulting from ground water recharge as base flow will be assessed after river hydrograph analysis.

In case the stream is losing or influent –

• The proposed measures will augment the ground water resources and result in rise in ground water levels

• It will reduce the losses to ground water from the streams and hence increase the flow

• Due to GW recharge if the water level rise above the river stage, the contribution of Ground Water can enhance the lean period flow

In case the stream is gaining or effluent –

• The improvement in ground water regime would result in enhanced and sustained base flow into the stream for a longer period.

State Govt. Department to be involved in the Pilot Project

Feasible structures/ activities in the catchments of Ishan, Kalyani, Non and Madni nadi

Implementation proposed through

Masonary Check dam Irrigation / Minor Irrigation department, Govt. of UP

Drain/stream development Irrigation / Minor Irrigation department/ Rural engineering Services, Govt. of UP

Recharge trenchMinor Irrigation department/ Rural engineering Services, Govt. of UP

Revival, repair of water bodies Rural engineering Services, Govt. of UP

On farm activities (including contour bunding, land levelling, rain water harvesting structure, earthen check dams)

Soil and Water Conservation Department, Govt. of UP

Proposal for Supply of Arsenic Free Water in Selected Blocks of Ballia & Ghazipur Districts, U.P.

16

Distribution of areas affected by High Arsenic in Ground Water Indian Scenario Contd…

Sr. No.

States No of districts where Arsenic contaminated ground water is reported

No of Arsenic affected Blocks

1 Assam 18 73

2 Bihar 15 57

3Jharkhand 1 3

4Chhattisgarh 1 1

5Haryana 13 21

6Karnataka 2 2

7Manipur 2 2

8 Punjab 6 14

9Uttar Pradesh 20 71

10 West Bengal 8 79

Total 86 323

S.No. State Districts along Ganga River with Arsenic (above

0.05 mg/l) in ground water

1 Bihar Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Bhojpur, Buxar, Darbhanga,

Katihar, Khagaria, Kishanganj, Lakhisarai, Munger,

Patna, Purnea, Samastipur, Saran, Vaishali

2 Jharkhand Sahebganj

3 Uttar

Pradesh

Balia, Bijnor, Chandauli, Ghazipur, Mirzapur,

Muradabad, Rai Bareilly, Shajahanpur, Siddarthnagar,

SantRavidas Nagar, Unnao

4 West Bengal Bardhaman, Hooghly, Howrah, Malda, Murshidabad,

Nadia, N-24 Parganas, S- 24 Parganas

ARSENIC AFFECTED DISTRICTS ALONG GANGA RIVER IN INDIA

History of Arsenic Reporting in Ground Water

District Ballia

S.No.

Block No of Villages

No of Arsenic Infested Villages

(> 10ppb)

1 Bairia 45 342 Dubhad 106 253 Murli Chhapra 28 204 Belhari 44 325 Sohaon 114 21

•Block identified –Bairia block•Villages affected by Arsenic -- 34•Population affected (2021) ~ 2,00,000•Water requirement (2021) – 145 lakh lt per day ( human and cattle)•Tube wells proposed (300m depth) – 46 main wells and 6 observation wells•Tentative costs --- Rs. 12.7 cr

District Ghazipur

•Block identified –Karanda block•Villages affected by Arsenic -- 15•Population affected (2021) ~ 55,000•Water requirement (2021) ~42 lakh lt per day ( human and cattle)•Tube wells proposed (300m depth) – 16 main wells and 4 observation wells•Tentative costs --- Rs. 4.8 cr

S.No. Block No of Villages

No of Arsenic Infested Villages

(> 10ppb)

1 Bhanwar Kol 146 22

2 Muhammdabad 218 183 Reotipur 64 25

4 Zamania 127 20

5 Karanda 92 15

6 Ghazipur Sadar 179 10

7 Saidpur 254 08

Thanks