10 months ago
Delhi's Dwarka Land Lifts as Groundwater Levels Recover
Imagine the ground under a neighborhood is like a sponge.
For a long time, people were taking too much water out, so the sponge was getting squeezed, and the ground was sinking.
But in a place called Dwarka in Delhi, they changed the rules about taking water out.
Now, they are letting more water back in, like refilling the sponge.
Because of this, the ground is starting to rise up again!
It's a rare sign that the underground water is slowly getting better.
Other places are not doing as well, with some areas sinking even faster because they are still taking too much water.
Scientists are using satellites to watch how the ground moves and how the water underground is doing.
Land in Delhi's Dwarka, which was sinking, has begun to lift, indicating groundwater recovery.
Satellite data shows the land has risen 5-10 centimeters since mid-2016, with a rate of up to 2 cm per year.
Groundwater storage in Dwarka increased by an estimated 2-7 billion liters annually between 2016 and 2023.
Delhi's 2016 groundwater policy, including restrictions on borewells and mandates for rainwater harvesting, is credited with this recovery.
In contrast, areas like Faridabad are experiencing accelerated land subsidence due to continued groundwater over-extraction.
- Who
- Researchers from ISRO, IIT Kanpur, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, and University of Miami
- What
- Land in Delhi's Dwarka has stopped sinking and is now lifting due to groundwater recovery.
- Where
- Dwarka, a sub-city in Southwest Delhi, India.
- When
- October 2014 to October 2023, with reversal observed since mid-2016.
- Why
- A 2016 groundwater policy restricting borewells, mandating rainwater harvesting, and requiring recharge structures in housing projects is believed to have helped refill underground aquifers.
Key facts
- Study Area
- Dwarka, Delhi, India
- Study Period
- October 2014 - October 2023
- Observed Land Lift in Dwarka
- 5-10 centimeters
- Rate of Lift in Dwarka
- Up to 2 centimeters per year
- Estimated Groundwater Increase in Dwarka
- 2-7 billion liters annually (2016-2023)
- Contributing Factor
- Delhi's 2016 groundwater policy
- Observed Land Subsidence in Gurugram
- More than 1 meter (2014-2023)
- Accelerated Land Subsidence in Faridabad
- Rate doubled to 4-5 cm per year since 2017
Quotes
The study
The research paper titled 'InSAR Reveals Recovery of Stressed Aquifer Systems in Parts of Delhi, India'
“The analysis suggests a gain in groundwater storage (0.002-0.007 cubic kilometres per year) and the onset of pore pressure saturation due to groundwater level recovery in the Dwarka area.”
NDTV
“The land there has since uplifted by 5 to 10 centimetres, climbing at a rate of up to 2 cm per year across nearly 4 square kilometres, that is about 988 acres of land.”
NDTV
The paper
The research paper titled 'InSAR Reveals Recovery of Stressed Aquifer Systems in Parts of Delhi, India'
“The sustained rise in groundwater level during 2018-2021, despite decreasing rainfall, provides strong evidence for substantial recovery of groundwater resources through improved management.”
NDTV
The authors
Scientists from ISRO, IIT Kanpur, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, and the University of Miami
“The decay of subsidence in the central and southern parts of the Gurgaon area points to the beginning of pore pressure equilibration, which results from reduced extraction and enhanced recharge.”
NDTV
Sources
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