Haryana to Get its First Water Atlas Soon, Will Aid Farmers to Know Water-level in Their Region

The Haryana Water Authority (HWRA), in collaboration with Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC), is set to launch the state's very first groundwater atlas by the end of this month. The project will help the authorities to understand why the water levels in the state have been falling each year and assist farmers in knowing the water level in their region

Both the agencies are using decadal data on inclusive groundwater levels, village water tables, recycled water use, and crop diversity to produce the atlas, along with the decadal changes and satellite maps of water sources.

The mapping of the state's aquifers (an underground layer of water-bearing rock) and compiling the groundwater atlas is undergoing, while the data will reportedly be made public by the last week of December. The agencies working on the project are further evaluating the current supply and demand mismatch of groundwater.

As of now, nearly 86 per cent of ground water in the state is being used for farming or agriculture related purposes.

The atlas will describe groundwater recharge, soil erosion, rainfall patterns, and how construction work near the Aravali Hills has hampered these processes. Additionally, it will demonstrate how rocky regions regenerate.

It will also be able to document the steps that have been taken so far to slow the rate of water depletion and offer recommendations for ways that each district and town may help with water conservation.

If reports are to be believed, the benefits and pitfalls of the finest water saving methods will be covered in the atlas. The agencies will also include how much wastewater is processed in sewage treatment facilities. These measures will assist in determining the steps that should be taken and when to apply them for better results.

The concerned authorities wish the atlas to have the information on each village's water supply and demand, the main water sources, the amount of water each family requires, and what their need will be over the next five years.

This information will be used to map the water gap and develop methods for efficiently reusing wastewater and storing rainwater.

Overusing groundwater, according to experts, could cause instability in the region below the surface. This might be dangerous for Gurgaon, which is currently in seismic zone IV, that is a high-risk area.

What is Water Atlas?

The Water Atlas Program was created to address the requirements of local governments by employing technology to link various water resource management stakeholders. A one-stop data warehouse, the Atlas offers unmatched access to a plethora of knowledge about water resources. In order to be understandable to both water research specialists and those merely interested in learning more about the water resources in their area, this information is presented in a variety of forms, including interactive graphs, tables, maps, and graphics.