A decision support tool with variable agro-climatic scenarios for sustainable groundwater management in semi-arid hard-rock areas

摘要: In most parts of India, and particularly in South groundwater levels are hazardously declining, which entails drought inherent water-quality problems. The need the hour is to adapt exploitation its availability. To find sustainable solutions, it indispensable that policy makers be equipped with suitable predictive tools better guide their future actions. Indo-French Centre for Groundwater Research (NGRI, Hyderabad) has developed a decision support tool (DST) designed scenarios under variable agro-climatic conditions, focuses on impact changing cropping pattern artificial recharge levels. DST based well-known water table fluctuation method, well-adapted method hard-rock semi-arid context. been implemented small pilot watershed (53 sq. km, Maheshwaram, Ranga Reddy District, Andhra Pradesh, India), representative Indian catchment terms geology, over-exploitation aquifers, climate (semi-arid), pattern, rural socio-economic context, etc. results show if no solution found quickly, decline will entail loss about 50% pumping borewells by around 2010, all accompanying serious consequences. However, even situation follows slippery slope, foresees some solutions. placed between makers, experts (for calibration model validation) end-users, i.e. farmers. an Excel software interface, makes user-friendly single those involved management.