Cost-effective Approaches for Sustainable Groundwater Management in Alluvial Aquifer Systems

• Published in: Water resources management Vol. 23; no. 2; pp. 219 - 233
• Main Authors: Jha, Madan K, Kamii, Y, Chikamori, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 2009; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: 21st century; Alluvial aquifer systems; Alluvial aquifers; Aquifer systems; Aquifers; Artificial recharge; Atmospheric Sciences; Augmentation; Basins; Civil Engineering; Cost-effective recharge methods; Developed countries; Developing countries; Drainage canals; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecosystems; Environment; Environmental impact; Exact sciences and technology; Freshwater; Freshwater resources; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Groundwater; Groundwater basins; Groundwater management; Groundwater recharge; Groundwater-surface water interaction; Hydrogeology; Hydrology; Hydrology. Hydrogeology; Hydrology/Water Resources; Industrialized nations; Irrigation; LDCs; Precipitation; River flow; Studies; Surface water; Sustainability; Sustainability management; Water harvesting; Water resources; Water resources management; Water shortages; Water supply; Far East; Asia; Honshu; Japan; Groundwater management; Alluvial aquifer systems; Groundwater–surface water interaction; Artificial recharge; Cost-effective recharge methods; rivers; canals; cost; ground water; ground-water recharge; water supply; rain water; artificial recharge; sustainable development; surface water; irrigation; water resources; aquifers; water resource management; Groundwater-surface water interaction; drainage
• ISSN: 0920-4741; 1573-1650
• DOI: 10.1007/s11269-008-9272-6

The consequences of unsustainable use of groundwater are becoming increasingly evident worldwide, particularly in developing nations. Groundwater management is a serious problem in many parts of the world. The prime concern is how to achieve groundwater sustainability. Artificial recharge techniques coupled with water harvesting hold a great promise for groundwater sustainability. The main intent of this paper is to highlight salient cost-effective and easy-to-use methods for augmenting groundwater resources in the alluvial hydrogeologic setting. Based on the intensive field investigation in a groundwater basin of Japan, three low-cost and easy-to-implement recharge techniques are suggested for alluvial aquifer systems, viz., augmentation of river flow, recharge through irrigation/drainage canals, and recharge from paddy fields. The source of recharge water for these recharge techniques is surface water supply. The efficacy of these methods or approaches has been demonstrated. It is emphasized that such cost-effective methods of groundwater recharge are key to sustainable groundwater management in both developing and developed countries. These methods must not be overlooked in the midst of sophisticated and highly expensive methods.