Shallow Aquifier Management

Objective

●Sustainable Urban Water Management: The primary goal of the SAM model is to ensure the sustainable management of urban water resources in Hyderabad.

●Address Groundwater Issues: It aims to tackle persistent problems such as groundwater depletion and drying up of borewells.

●Prevent Urban Flooding: The project also seeks to mitigate the quick flooding of city streets during heavy rains.

Implementation Framework

●Pilot Project: The initiative is being implemented on a pilot basis under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme.

●Selection of Sites: Five municipal parks have been identified for the pilot. The initial focus is on two parks in the LB Nagar zone: Kakatiya Park at Habsiguda and E-sector park at Sainikpuri.

Nodal Agency

●National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA): NIUA is the nodal agency responsible for overseeing the implementation of the SAM model.

Technical Approach

• Shallow Water Injection Borewells: The project involves drilling borewells to a depth of 100-120 feet to inject water into the shallow aquifers.
• Recharge Pits: Water collected from the surrounding watershed is channelled through recharge pits to facilitate the recharging of underground water layers.
• Rainfall Utilization: The system ensures that rainfall is effectively used to recharge groundwater, thereby raising the water table.     

Expected Outcomes

●Groundwater Recharge: The recharging of shallow aquifers will help in increasing the groundwater levels in the targeted areas.

●Technical Benefits: The project is expected to recharge groundwater aquifers in the surrounding areas and soon see an improvement in groundwater levels.

●Sustainable Water Management: The initiative aims to create a sustainable framework for urban water management that can be replicated in other regions.

●Flood Mitigation: By efficiently managing rainwater, the project will help in reducing urban flooding.

●Scalability: If successful, the SAM model could be scaled up and implemented in other parts of Hyderabad and potentially in other cities facing similar water management issues.

●Policy Integration: The project aligns with broader urban development and sustainability goals under the AMRUT scheme and other national policies.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Discuss the significance of managing shallow water aquifers in the context of sustainable groundwater resources. Highlight the challenges associated with shallow water aquifer management and suggest comprehensive strategies to address these challenges. (250 words)