Journal Articles |
S. K. Tomer, M. Sekhar, K. Balakrishnan, Deepak Malghan, S. Thiyaku, M. Gautam & Vishal K. Mehta A model-based estimate of the groundwater budget and associated uncertainties in Bengaluru, India Journal Article Urban Water Journal, 18 (1), pp. 11, 2020. Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Bangalore, budget, groundwater, water metabolism @article{Tomer2020, title = {A model-based estimate of the groundwater budget and associated uncertainties in Bengaluru, India}, author = {S. K. Tomer, M. Sekhar, K. Balakrishnan, Deepak Malghan, S. Thiyaku, M. Gautam & Vishal K. Mehta}, url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1573062X.2020.1836237}, doi = {10.1080/1573062X.2020.1836237}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-12-16}, journal = {Urban Water Journal}, volume = {18}, number = {1}, pages = {11}, abstract = {Understanding the water metabolism of developing country cities is challenging because of insufficient knowledge of how social, infrastructural and hydrological dimensions are coupled. Using Bengaluru City in India, we demonstrate how fine-resolution data can inform model-based estimates of urban groundwater budgets. Groundwater levels were measured at 154 locations in 2016 and used to estimate model parameters and uncertainty. Total water use was estimated at 1470 million litres per day (MLD). Groundwater pumping meets the majority of this use (827 MLD), followed by utility water supply (643 MLD). Total recharge was estimated at 973 MLD. Natural recharge is a much smaller portion (183 MLD) compared to anthropogenic recharge from leaking water supply and wastewater systems (791 MLD). The city experienced a net negative groundwater balance (40 MLD). Natural recharge and total water use estimates showed lower uncertainty. Spatial variation in these fluxes is described and related to secondary information.}, keywords = {Bangalore, budget, groundwater, water metabolism}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Understanding the water metabolism of developing country cities is challenging because of insufficient knowledge of how social, infrastructural and hydrological dimensions are coupled. Using Bengaluru City in India, we demonstrate how fine-resolution data can inform model-based estimates of urban groundwater budgets. Groundwater levels were measured at 154 locations in 2016 and used to estimate model parameters and uncertainty. Total water use was estimated at 1470 million litres per day (MLD). Groundwater pumping meets the majority of this use (827 MLD), followed by utility water supply (643 MLD). Total recharge was estimated at 973 MLD. Natural recharge is a much smaller portion (183 MLD) compared to anthropogenic recharge from leaking water supply and wastewater systems (791 MLD). The city experienced a net negative groundwater balance (40 MLD). Natural recharge and total water use estimates showed lower uncertainty. Spatial variation in these fluxes is described and related to secondary information. |
M. Sekhar; S. Tomer; S. Thiyaku; P. Giriraj; S. Murthy; V.K. Mehta Groundwater Level Dynamics in Bengaluru City, India Journal Article Sustainability, 10(1) (1), pp. 26, 2017. Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Bangalore, groundwater, journal @article{Sekhar2017, title = {Groundwater Level Dynamics in Bengaluru City, India}, author = {M. Sekhar and S. Tomer and S. Thiyaku and P. Giriraj and S. Murthy and V.K. Mehta}, url = {http://bangalore.urbanmetabolism.asia/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/sustainability-10-00026-GroundwaterLevelDynamicsinBengaluruCity.pdf}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/su10010026}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-12-22}, journal = {Sustainability}, volume = {10(1)}, number = {1}, pages = {26}, abstract = {Groundwater accounts for half of Indian urban water use. However, little is known about its sustainability, because of inadequate monitoring and evaluation. We deployed a dense monitoring network in 154 locations in Bengaluru, India between 2015 and 2017. Groundwater levels collected at these locations were analyzed to understand the behavior of the city’s groundwater system. At a local scale, groundwater behavior is non-classical, with valleys showing deeper groundwater than ridge-tops. We hypothesize that this is due to relatively less pumping compared to artificial recharge from leaking pipes and wastewater in the higher, city core areas, than in the rapidly growing, lower peripheral areas, where the converse is true. In the drought year of 2016, groundwater depletion was estimated at 27 mm, or 19 Mm3 over the study area. The data show that rainfall has the potential to replenish the aquifer. High rainfall during August–September 2017 led to a mean recharge of 67 mm, or 47 Mm3 for the study area. A rainfall recharge factor of 13.5% was estimated from the data for 2016. Sustainable groundwater management in Bengaluru must account for substantial spatial socio-hydrological heterogeneity. Continuous monitoring at high spatial density will be needed to inform evidence-based policy.}, keywords = {Bangalore, groundwater, journal}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Groundwater accounts for half of Indian urban water use. However, little is known about its sustainability, because of inadequate monitoring and evaluation. We deployed a dense monitoring network in 154 locations in Bengaluru, India between 2015 and 2017. Groundwater levels collected at these locations were analyzed to understand the behavior of the city’s groundwater system. At a local scale, groundwater behavior is non-classical, with valleys showing deeper groundwater than ridge-tops. We hypothesize that this is due to relatively less pumping compared to artificial recharge from leaking pipes and wastewater in the higher, city core areas, than in the rapidly growing, lower peripheral areas, where the converse is true. In the drought year of 2016, groundwater depletion was estimated at 27 mm, or 19 Mm3 over the study area. The data show that rainfall has the potential to replenish the aquifer. High rainfall during August–September 2017 led to a mean recharge of 67 mm, or 47 Mm3 for the study area. A rainfall recharge factor of 13.5% was estimated from the data for 2016. Sustainable groundwater management in Bengaluru must account for substantial spatial socio-hydrological heterogeneity. Continuous monitoring at high spatial density will be needed to inform evidence-based policy. |
Publications
Journal Articles |
A model-based estimate of the groundwater budget and associated uncertainties in Bengaluru, India Journal Article Urban Water Journal, 18 (1), pp. 11, 2020. |
Groundwater Level Dynamics in Bengaluru City, India Journal Article Sustainability, 10(1) (1), pp. 26, 2017. |