Borewells and Tubewells

India being an agrarian country, our farmers depend mainly on groundwater for irrigation. With increasing population, lesser land holdings and urbanisation, deeper borewells are dug for groundwater abstraction. Borewells & tubewells, are very similar. Both are basically vertical drilled wells, bored into an underground aquifer in the earths surface, to extract water for various purposes. The difference in the two lies in the type of casing used, the depth of this casing and the type of soil where they are drilled. Casing to support the external surfaces of the borehole against collapse may be needed at certain depths, and usually is made up of PVC pipes. Electrical pumps are usually used to pump out the water fro the borewells, though the government is now giving subsidy for solar pumps. This convenience of pumps may increase the depletion of the groundwater at an increased pace.

Our FAQ on borewells, deals in detail with topics ranging from the initial planning, selection of site to final commissioning, maintenance of the structure and problems associated with existing borewells,. Another Frequently asked questions (FAQ) on Groundwater - Understanding the basics, narrows down the existing knowledge gaps amongst the common groundwater users.

Excessive drilling of borewells has led to exploitation of groundwater at higher rates than the rate of water recharge and caused depletion of the groundwater levels. To monitor this many states like Karnataka & Kerala have come up with laws & a statutory authority to regulate and keep tabs on the groundwater utilisation. Some states have implemented groundwater legislation acts which prevent drilling of borewells without the permission of Government Bodies in water scarce regions. However, some states allow only drilling of drinking water borewells without the need for obtaining permission. Therefore, it is advisable to explore the details of it before drilling a borewell.

Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has come with reports on the groundwater status in the country. Uncontrolled use of bore well technology leads to exploitation of groundwater at higher rates than the rate of water recharge, which may cause drastic depletion of groundwater. 

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Micro-irrigation and groundwater use
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The Water Future Conference in Bangalore: Towards a Sustainable Water Future
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Return of the pearl millet
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Posted on 06 Jul, 2013 09:31 AM

For the last 50 years, the Bhilai Steel Plant, which is India's largest integrated steel plant has got its supply of iron ore from Dalli Rajhara's mines. Dalli Rajhara, a municipality which is also an industrial city is located 90km south of Durg in Chhattisgarh. It is a part of the Rajhara group of mines. Iron ore mined in this area are of two types - hematite and magnetite.
Dalli Rajhara Mines in Chhattisgarh
Seawater entering coastal towns in Goa causes big problems
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Posted on 01 Jul, 2013 03:18 PM

India waterportal’s data finder has over 300 datasets. A non-data or non-analytics person can feel overwhelmed trying to pull out important information and understand it.  A data story will help do just that.
Process explaining seawater intrusion
Does your packaged drinking water contain minerals or pollutants?
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Delhi’s ground water hits rock bottom
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K Schneider
P D Wagner
S Kumar
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Land use changes  hydrologic system and have potentially large impacts on water resources. An assessment in an area with seasonally limited water availability and which is subject to rapid socio- economic development and population growth will provide an exemplary view on the local impacts of major recent developments in India. In this backdrop this paper analyzes past land use changes between 1989 and 2009 and their impacts on the water balance in the Mula and Mutha Rivers catchment upstream of Pune. The aim of the paper is:

  • assess the land use changes between 1989/1990 and 2009/2010
  • analyze the impacts of these changes on the long-term water balance components in the Mula and Mutha Rivers catchment upstream of the city of Pune.

Handbook for flood protection, anti-erosion and river training works by Central Water Commission (2012)
This Handbook provides necessary guidance to the field engineers to deal primarily with structural measures of flood management like flood protection works, anti erosion measures and river training works.
Central Water Commission (CWC)
Posted on 13 Feb, 2013 09:43 PM

This handbook by Central Water Commission aims to provide necessary guidance to the field engineers in the state and central for design, appraisal, construction and monitoring of the flood management works covering all the relevant BIS codes, design manuals, guidelines, technical specifications for construction materials and practices etc. to meet new challenges in the flood management in India.

Death of tubewells and resurgence of ponds
A story of a brave farmer who followed his heart, dug a pond in his agricultural land and paved the way to a ‘greener’ water rich village.
IWMI Tata
Posted on 07 Jan, 2013 04:46 PM

 

 
The APWELL Project: Andhra Pradesh's experience with participatory hydrological monitoring
The APWELL project sought to improve agricultural production through controlled groundwater exploitation by the means of nearly 3,500 wells and irrigation systems. The project acknowledged the risk of over-exploitation of groundwater.Part of the solution was to only permit wells in areas that were not already over-exploited. Recharge of groundwater and increasing irrigation efficiency were also implemented.
SV Govardhan Das
Posted on 18 Dec, 2012 02:04 PM

Preventing groundwater abuse depends on the users' knowledge of what constitutes this over-exploitation and abuse, and why it is undesirable. The success of APWELL, therefore, depends on participatory hydrological monitoring in which the users were trained in basic hydrology and charged with monitoring the hydrological balance of the watershed.
Ajit Pawar reinstated as Maharashtra deputy CM, despite being involved in a multi-crore irrigation scam - Roundup of the week's news (December 10 – 16, 2012)
The newsroundup this week informs of reducing water level in the Cauvery basin, pollution of rivers in Odisha, Punjab and Kerala, green signal given by the cabinet to the land aquisition bill and the decision made by the Karnataka government for the need to seek permission from the water board for drilling borewells or dugwells in Bangalore city
Sabita Kaushal
Posted on 17 Dec, 2012 09:42 PM

Ajit Pawar reinstated as deputy CM of Maharashtra  
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