Spatial pattern of ground water level changes in the irrigated agricultural region of Bist Doab, Punjab, India

Intensive irrigation causes major consumption of ground water resources especially in India. Due to a large population base, the extraction of ground water for mechanized agriculture has significantly increased during the last few decades in the Bist Doab region of Punjab, India. This study analyses the spatial pattern of changes in ground water levels in the Bist Doab region during the 1998-2011 period. Using spatial interpolation, the ground water levels were interpolated for the whole region for each year. Spatial data on the intensity of irrigation and tubewell density were also mapped to analyse their trends. The results reveal the emergence of a zone of deepening water table in the south west portion of the Bist Doab. The ground water levels have dropped more than 20 meters from the surface in this area. Using these results, we classified the Bist Doab region into three zones (Zone 1, 2, and 3) for prioritizing ground water management initiatives. While agricultural water consumption provides one possible explanation for falling ground water levels in the area, other non-anthropogenic factors may also play a role in such trends. Further research at the same scale is recommended in other parts of the Punjab State.