Advanced Center for Water Resources Development and Management

Abstract India is the largest user of groundwater in the world. With current dependency on the resource, challenges pertaining to management and governance of groundwater in the country have increased tremendously. To address these challenges, various policy and programmatic interventions have been devised and implemented by state and non-state actors. In this chapter, we question the techno-managerial nature of these solutions and propose a socio-hydrogeological approach that integrates the multidisciplinary and decentralised nature of groundwater problems. To illustrate this, we draw on case studies that have emerged as part of our work on strengthening participatory processes of aquifer monitoring and mapping, decentralised groundwater allocation for agricultural decisions and management strategies that evolve through local institutions. Various programmes are underway in the country aimed at improving participation in governance of groundwater resources. If we are to achieve our goals of collectively and sustainably managing this invisible resource, there is a need to adopt approaches that move beyond the techno-managerial paradigm and embody local ways of knowing, using, and managing groundwater.

The Himalayas are undergoing rapid climate change, and the prevailing narrative has revolved around glaciers and river hydrology. While ironically, in the densely populated Himalayan mid-hills, it is the network of rain-fed springs that are the principal source of drinking water. Recent studies highlight the worrying trend of these springs drying up affecting women and children the most. Reviving these springs by artificial recharge using geohydrology and isotope approaches has shown positive results. However, the ‘spring-centric’ approach is too intensive for scaling up, and we explore the possibility of using the ‘mountain aquifer’ as the unit of planning. In this study, we investigate the inner workings of the mountain aquifer system using environmental isotopes and landscape-level recharge experiments. Are the aquifers disjoint or connected? Do they have annual or multi-year storage capacity? Can these aquifers be recharged using landscape-level approaches? The purpose of this research is to examine these questions in an action research mode using biophysical and socio-economic approaches in the context of Sikkim Himalaya. The findings show that mountain aquifers are connected by fractures, having multiple recharge and discharge points along the elevation gradient. These rain-fed aquifers are sensitive to rainfall patterns as they do not have the capacity for multi-year storage. Landscape-level recharge projects on hilltop forests benefitted springs in the lower and middle part the most, and an intensive socio-economic assessment further reinforced the theory of connected aquifers. Based on this understanding, we propose scaling up spring revival, by graduating from ‘spring-centric’ to ‘aquifer-centric’ approaches.

Mountain springs emanating naturally from unconfined aquifers are the primary source of water for rural households in the Himalayan region. Due to the impacts of climate change on precipitation patterns such as rise in rainfall intensity, reduction in its temporal spread, and a marked decline in winter rain, coupled with other anthropogenic causes, the problem of dying springs is being increasingly felt across this region. This study was taken up in the Sikkim Himalaya, which has received limited attention despite being a part of the Eastern Himalaya global biodiversity hot spot. The objective of this study was to understand the basic characteristics of the springs and to demonstrate methods for reviving them. We found the rural landscape dotted by a network of microsprings occurring largely in farmers' fields, with an average dependency of 27 (±30) households per spring. The spring discharge generally showed an annual periodic rhythm suggesting a strong response to rainfall. The mean discharge of the springs was found to peak at 51 L/min during the postmonsoon months (September–November) and then diminish to 8 L/min during spring (March–May). The lean period (March–May) discharge is perceived to have declined by nearly 50% in drought-prone areas and by 35% in other areas over the last decade. The springshed development approach to revive 5 springs using rainwater harvesting and geohydrology techniques showed encouraging results, with the lean period discharge increasing substantially from 4.4 to 14.4 L/min in 2010–2011. The major challenges faced in springshed development were the following: identifying recharge areas accurately, developing local capacity, incentivizing rainwater harvesting in farmers' fields, and sourcing public financing. We recommend further action research studies to revive springs to advance the outcomes of this pilot study and mainstreaming of springshed development in watershed development, rural water supply, and climate change adaptation programs, especially in the Himalayan region.