Managing Ground Water Resources for Sustainable Growth

This paper is based on the data and information collected from a large-scale study to evolve institutional and policy framework for management of groundwater resources in river basins. The study uses an eclectic methodology comprising primary and secondary data and review of international and national literature on integrated water management in river basins. The research approach includes an elaborate case study of Sabarmati river basin in Gujarat (India) including study of technological, institutional, financial and managerial aspects of ground water management. The study shows several symptoms of an impending crisis, such as water abstraction exceeding the recharge, declining ground water levels, poor economics of groundwater irrigation, unethical water use practices, drinking water scarcity in hard rock areas, and ecological problems such as land degradation. It is found that the maximum positive impact on water balance could be achieved through a combination of conjunctive management approaches, and demand management in agriculture and urban areas. In terms of institutional arrangements, the operational boundaries of the governance units should match with the hydrological system boundaries. It should promote involvement of user groups and communities in the governance and management of ground water.