ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE MEASURES IN PROBLEMATIC AREAS OF ANDHRA PRADESH - A CASE STUDY

Abstract

Artificial recharge to groundwater has assumed importance as an effective method to the situations like Over-Exploitation of groundwater and dwindling yields of wells, as inferred by decline in water levels and reduced well ayacuts. The unpredictable behaviour of groundwater occurrence in hard rock areas especially in years of failed monsoons and over-exploitation, requires a cautious and planned approach for implementation of artificial recharge schemes. In light of the above, a case study involving possibility of construction of cluster of check-dams within a basin has been taken up as a remedial measure to augment groundwater recharge. The present study involves reappraisal of the impact of existing artificial recharge structures on the groundwater regime in Siddipet Vagu (nala) catchment of Medak district, Andhra Pradesh for seeking viable solution to the augmentation of groundwater recharge. The study has indicated that the area falls under critical category (GEC; 1997) with 81% and 84% of stage of groundwater development in 1992 and in 1998 respectively even after construction of 40 large capacity check-dams in the, lower reaches of the catchment during 1992-1998. Keeping in view the constraints like regional aquifer extension and discontinuous fracturing system, it is proposed to recommend a cluster approach of construction of low storage capacity check-dams. It is estimated from SCS model studies that the balance yield (runoff available in the basin is 40.17 MCM, out of which 8.03 MCM may be utilised to create additional low storage capacity structures.