Why in news:

• The state of Haryana will have a groundwater atlas soon, which, among other things, will shed light on how the state has been witnessing a decline in water levels every year.

Key Points:

• The atlas will explain soil erosion and rain patterns, and how construction around Aravali hills has disturbed the groundwater recharge system. Plus, it will also show the recharge process in rocky areas.
• According to the Haryana Water Authority (HWRA), which is undertaking the project, the atlas will also help farmers understand the water level in their area, which can be used as an indicator for making informed choices regarding growing specific crops.
• In this regard, the Haryana Water Authority is conducting aquifer (underground layer of water-bearing rock) mapping and creating a groundwater atlas of the entire state. The authority will be releasing the data by the last week of December 2022.
• As a step in the direction, Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC) is working in close coordination with the Haryana Water Authority. Notably, around 86% of the groundwater extracted in the state is being used for agriculture. Therefore, there’s a pressing need that the present demand and supply gap needs to be analysed and necessary steps need to be taken to bridge it.
• In order to create the atlas, the government agencies will use decadal data of overall groundwater levels, the water table in villages, use of recycled water and crop diversification. Satellite maps of water sources and the decadal changes will be also included.
• The atlas will also record measures that have been taken so far to lower the water depletion rate as well as provide suggestions as to how each district and village can contribute to help in water conservation. The Haryana Water Authority will also include how much wastewater is being treated in sewage treatment plants (STPs). The atlas will include the best water conservation practices and the drawbacks. This will help the authorities know what kind of measures to implement and where so that we get better results.
• The atlas will have data of the water demand and supply of every village, the major sources of water, how much each family needs, and what the demand of these families will be in the next five years, she further said. This data will help the authorities map the water gap and frame strategies on how to reuse wastewater and store rainwater effectively.
• According to the environmental experts, overexploitation of groundwater could make the area underneath the surface unstable. For Gurugram, already in the dangerous seismic zone IV, this could prove hazardous if remedial actions are not taken through timely intervention by the government.