Which Indian cities have the deepest groundwater level?

Groundwater plays a crucial role in meeting the water demand of Indian cities. However, the groundwater level in many parts of India is rapidly depleting, and this has led to a severe water crisis in many cities and villages.

Groundwater levels in Indian cities vary greatly due to factors such as rainfall, geography, and human activity. Some cities have deeper groundwater levels than others.

For instance, in Ahmedabad, the groundwater level was found to be at 67 meters in the confined aquifer, making it one of the cities with the deepest groundwater levels in India. Other cities with deep groundwater levels include Jaipur (84.7 meters) and Dehradun (79.2 meters).

However, these figures can change over time due to factors like rainfall, water consumption, and government policies on water management. It’s important to regularly monitor groundwater levels to ensure sustainable water use.

Indian cities with deep groundwater levels

The Central Ground Water Board has presented varying groundwater scenarios across the country, including highly developed metros, hilly regions, coastal cities, and cities tapping unconsolidated and hard rock aquifers. The report discusses various options for sustainable water supply in urban India like augmentation of water supply through rainwater harvesting, conservation, and groundwater recharge.

To assess the groundwater situation in three major metros where usage is either over-exploited or nearing that threshold, we analyzed extraction trends over the years for Bengaluru, Chennai, and Delhi. Unfortunately, due to incomplete data for some years, Hyderabad had to be excluded from this analysis.

The data compilation is only available for specific years— 2004, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2020 and 2022. Therefore, the x-axis in the charts reflects these years and should not be interpreted as a timeline with equal intervals.

Examining the stage of extraction, Delhi has gradually transitioned from a state of over-exploitation to a critical stage over the years. Meanwhile, Chennai's groundwater exploitation percentage shows a gradual decline, indicating the potential for it to drop below 100% if this trend continues. However, Bengaluru’s situation remains concerning, as groundwater usage is predominantly for irrigation and industrial purposes, making a significant decline in usage unlikely shortly.

Which coastal cities are vulnerable in India?

Indian cities here will bear the brunt of climate change as they worry about rising sea levels. These are just initial projections at the current rate, but if the trends continue, by the end of the century, water will submerge these coastal cities by as much as three feet.

• Kandla: 1.87 feet
• Okha: 1.96 feet
• Bhaunagar: 2.70 feet
• Mumbai: 1.90 feet
• Mormugao: 2.06 feet
• Mangalore: 1.87 feet
• Cochin: 2.32 feet
• Paradip: 1.93 feet
• Khidirpur: 0.49 feet
• Visakhapatnam: 1.77 feet
• Chennai: 1.87 feet
• Tuticorin: 1.9 feet

Groundwater levels in India vary by region

• Northwestern states: Depth to water level generally ranges from 10-20 meters BGL.
• Western parts of the country: Deeper water level is recorded in the depth range of 20-40 meters BGL.
• North Gujarat, part of Haryana, and western Rajasthan: Water level more than 40 meters BGL is recorded.

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