National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme(NAQUIM)

News:Central Ground Water Board(CGWB) is implementing ‘National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme(NAQUIM) for aquifer mapping in the country.

Facts:

About NAQUIM:

• National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme(NAQUIM) was launched in 2012 by the Ministry of Water Resources(now Ministry of Jal Shakti).
• The programme aims to identify and map aquifers at the micro level to quantify the available groundwater resources.
• It aims to cover more than 25 million km2 that have been delineated as hydrogeologically mappable.
• It also aims to promote participatory groundwater management.This can be achieved by empowering communities with a seamless flow of information and understanding of local aquifers.

Stages of the programme:There are four stages of activities in NAQUIM which are:

• Collection, compilation and analysis of existing data.Based on the data requirement protocol, data gaps are identified.
• The required data is then generated in data gap areas/domains through an array of scientific investigations.
• Integration of data, developing lithologic models and configuring aquifers.The hydraulic properties, resource behaviour, water level regime and chemical quality is established in space-time domain and 
• Various supply and demand side interventions are worked out and recommended to sustainably use groundwater. Here, local issues are also addressed.

Progress of the mapping:

• Out of the total mappable area of nearly 25 lakh sq km,so far aquifer maps and management plans have been prepared for an area of nearly 11.24 lakh sq km spread over various parts of the country.
• As per the ground water resource assessment carried out jointly by CGWB and State ground water departments,1186 assessment units in the country have been categorized as over-exploited of which aquifer mapping has been completed in nearly 75% Units.

Additional information:

About Central Ground Water Board(CGWB):

• CGWB has been entrusted with the responsibilities of developing & disseminating technologies, monitoring national policies for the scientific and sustainable development and management of India’s ground water resources.
• It periodically takes up various studies which include ground water management studies, exploratory drilling programmes, monitoring groundwater level and water quality through a network of ground water observation wells etc.