CONSTRICTION OF THE YAMUNA RIVER FLOODPLAINS WITHIN DELHI REGION SINCE 19TH CENTURY: A SERIOUS CONCERN

Afzal Khan, Vishwa Nath Bajpai

Abstract: India’s capital Delhi has been encompassed serious problems due to scarcity of groundwater. The recharge zones are very limited and that too not having any effective enriching source except the annual rainfall and the Yamuna River. The most valuable recharge zone is the floodplain of the Yamuna River but unfortunately it has been extensively used for the settlements/ urbanization and thus squeezed up leaving a paltrier area for recharging groundwater reservoirs. Since 19th century, continuous encroachment over the floodplains of the Yamuna River has resulted into the constriction of the most suitable recharge zone of the capital. The water level in the Yamuna River remains usually low throughout the year except in the rainy season due to which the recovery periods for the groundwater aquifers are very long in comparison to a high pumping (discharge) rate. As a consequence, Over-exploitation (Over-pumping) of groundwater especially over the occupied floodplains caused the compaction of the underlying sediments that has been resulted into ground subsidence at many places due to collapse of the groundwater reservoirs or aquifer disposition. The present study provides a hydrogeological evaluation by delineating the floodplain of the Yamuna River that can further direct towards the sustainable groundwater augmentation and management practices in the area.

Keywords: Yamuna River, Floodplain, Groundwater, Aquifers, Recharge Zones, Urbanization.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2014.0309068