干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

A steady-state groundwater optimization model is constructed to compute sustainable groundwater development strategies for part of Lower Ghaggar Basin in Haryana State (India) region and has flat topography. Basin lies in arid and semi-arid part. Recharge from huge canal network has resulted in rising trend of water table. The model developed represents steady-state groundwater flow response to assumed and computed optimal discharges and recharges. The model computes the spatially distributed maximum sustained yield pumping volumes for the project area. The optimal pumping rate is greater than current pumping which can be used to fulfill unmet demands for irrigation water. The difference in pumping results from an increase in recharge from the rivers and a decrease in groundwater evapotranspiration losses due to reversal of water table behaviour. The number of pumping wells needed to extract water at the optimal rates are also computed.