Abstract :
Groundwater contributes nearly 37% of total water supply in Kolkata Metropolis. Population pressure
caused by migration and growth after independence along with limited surface water supply, coupled
with the rapid expansion of the city has resulted in a tremendous increase in the demand of groundwater
since the 1960s. It has significantly distorted the aquifer recharge-withdrawal equilibrium. The city is
endowed with safe and huge groundwater reservoir underneath the impervious clay beds which gets
recharged only during monsoon. Hence, a detailed and comprehensive evaluation of the availability of
surface water and groundwater resources in space and time is essential for sustainable development of
water management in Kolkata to cope with the rapid urbanization and metropolinization.
Unfortunately, very little attention has been paid so far to preserve this valuable natural resource in
Kolkata. The prime objective of this article is to present a comprehensive picture of the present surface
water supply and groundwater condition with the help of gradient or trend analysis and risk zonations
for Kolkata. It provides important input to the sustainable development of surface and groundwater
resource and also for judicious future planning of water supply of the city.
Keyword :
Groundwater Resource Surface Water Aquifer Risk Zone Land Subsidence Regression Analysis