Integrated geospatial, geostatistical, and remote-sensing approach to estimate groundwater level in North-western India

The depletion of groundwater resources in Northwest India has been extensively studied. The top priority to meet the scarcity of water for irrigation, industrial and domestic purposes is supplemented by groundwater. Geostatistical modelling approach is considered to be beneficial tool for the assessment, evaluation, monitoring, and management of groundwater resources. This study is an attempt to analyze the spatio-temporal variability of groundwater level in semi-arid region of Panipat district, Haryana, India using kriging technique to fill the data gaps. Ordinary kriging was found optimal for the interpolation of groundwater levels. The results revealed that there was not much seasonal variation and also the groundwater flow direction remained almost constant in the study area during the assessment period. Spatial variability analysis showed significant variation in groundwater level and further depicted that the study area had undergone more or less decline in groundwater over the period of time. To validate the observations and results geo spatial and remote sensing techniques including normalised difference vegetation index and impervious surface relationships were worked out. It was further co-related with the rainfall data and the canal network existing in Panipat region. The integrated approach substantiated the observed results with the ground reality and helped in better understanding of the causes of declining groundwater trend in central part of Panipat.