Latest news with #AbhayanandSinghMaurya
Time of India
01-08-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Ganga's summer flow sustained by groundwater, not glacial melt: IIT Roorkee study
Roorkee: Researchers from IIT Roorkee have found that the Ganga's summer flow in the plains is primarily sustained by groundwater, not glacier melt as commonly assumed. The scientists collected samples from 32 locations, including 12 major cities along the banks of the Ganga, and conducted a full-scale isotopic analysis of the river and its major tributaries. The study established the negligible role of glacier melt in maintaining the Ganga's summer flow, quantifying that beyond the Himalayan foothills, glacier-fed input is virtually absent and does not influence the summer discharge up to Patna. After Patna, tributaries such as the Ghaghara and Gandak become the dominant contributors, the study noted. The findings were published in Hydrological Processes, a peer-reviewed American journal. The study monitored river flow and its controlling factors such as evaporation loss, groundwater interaction, and the role of aquifer water levels in sustaining river flow. It employed isotope ratio (composition) techniques using a cavity ring-down spectrometer. Six laboratories, including one from Taiwan, assisted with various measurements required for the research. Moreover, researchers found that in the upstream region of around 160 km, no significant change in isotopic composition was observed, indicating minimal evaporation due to the fast flow of water along a relatively steep gradient. The negligible fluctuation in isotope values indicates limited interaction with groundwater, contrary to earlier satellite-based studies that warned of severe groundwater depletion across North India. "In-situ groundwater level data show that the water table in the middle plain region of the Ganga has not changed significantly in recent decades to affect the summer base flow of the river. Our analysis shows that the Ganga is not drying because groundwater is depleting, but due to over-extraction, excessive diversion, and neglect of tributaries. Groundwater is still the hidden lifeline of the Ganga," said Professor Abhayanand Singh Maurya, lead author from the institute's Earth Sciences department.
News18
01-08-2025
- Science
- News18
Ganga sustained in summer by groundwater discharge, not glacial melt: IIT study
Dehradun, Aug 1 (PTI) A study carried out by IIT-Roorkee researchers has found that the Ganga is primarily sustained by groundwater discharge during the hot and dry summer months, not glacial melt as widely believed. The pioneering study published in the journal Hydrological Processes based on a full-scale isotopic analysis of the Ganga from its Himalayan origins to its deltaic end, including its major tributaries, offers a paradigm shift in understanding how the mighty river is sustained during the hot and dry summer months. The study challenges long-held assumptions by establishing that up to Patna in Bihar, the Ganga is primarily sustained by groundwater discharge and not glacial melt. This natural underground contribution boosts the river's volume by nearly 120 per cent along the middle stretch. Meanwhile, more than 58 per cent of the river's water is lost to evaporation during summer—an alarming yet overlooked component of the river's water budget. 'Our analysis shows that the Ganga is not drying because groundwater is depleting, but due to over-extraction, excessive diversion, and neglect of tributaries. Groundwater is still the hidden lifeline of the Ganga," said Prof Abhayanand Singh Maurya, lead author and faculty at the Department of Earth Sciences, IIT Roorkee. 'This research redefines how we can understand the Ganga's summer flow. It should prove a sustainable future river rejuvenation strategy, not just for the Ganga but for all major Indian rivers," he said. The study concludes with the message: 'If India wants a sustainable Ganga, it must protect and recharge its aquifers, release adequate water into the main river channel, and revive the lost tributary networks." Contrary to prior satellite-based studies warning of severe groundwater depletion across north India, the new findings based on two decades of in-situ data indicate largely stable groundwater levels across the central Ganga Plain, Maurya said. Consistent flows from shallow hand pumps across decades reinforce the evidence of a resilient aquifer system that continues to feed the Ganga during non-monsoon periods, he said. Another revelation made by the study is the negligible role of glacial melt in maintaining the Ganga's flow in the Indo-Gangetic plains during summer. The study quantifies that beyond the Himalayan foothills, the glacier-fed input is virtually absent and does not influence the summer discharge up to Patna. Post-Patna, tributaries like Ghaghara and Gandak become the dominant contributors. The research adds valuable scientific weight to several ongoing national missions such as Namami Gange, Atal Bhujal Yojana, and Jal Shakti Abhiyan, which aim to rejuvenate rivers and improve groundwater management. PTI ALM VN VN view comments First Published: August 01, 2025, 20:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
01-08-2025
- Science
- India Today
Groundwater, not glacier melt, keeps Ganga flowing in summer: IIT Roorkee study
A new study from IIT Roorkee has just flipped the long-standing belief about what keeps the Ganga flowing during the harsh Indian summer. New fingings show that it is in fact not glacier melt but groundwater that keeps the mighty river alive, at least until from IIT Roorkee tracked the river right from its Himalayan beginnings to its delta end, using advanced isotopic analysis. Published in Hydrological Processes, the study is the first of its kind to cover such a full-scale scientific mapping of the Ganga's flow and its major BARELY MATTER BEYOND THE HILLSOne of the most eye-opening discoveries is how little glacier melt matters once the river hits the Indo-Gangetic plains. Up to Patna, the river's summer flow comes almost entirely from groundwater discharge. Glacier-fed water is almost zero. To add to the surprise, the Ganga's volume increases by nearly 120% along this stretch thanks to the groundwater input. But there's a catch -- more than 58% of the river's water evaporates in summer. That's a huge loss we often ignore. GROUNDWATER DEPLETION? NOT WHAT YOU THINKWhile we often hear about North India's groundwater crisis from satellite data, this study, which used two decades of actual field data, paints a different central Ganga plain's aquifers seem stable, supported by the steady output from shallow hand suggests a strong and resilient underground system that's still feeding the river THIS STUDY MATTERSThis insight is a game-changer for river rejuvenation efforts like Namami Gange and Jal Shakti Abhiyan. The study recommends more focus on recharging aquifers, reviving tributaries, and releasing adequate water from barrages -- because it's groundwater, not glaciers, that's truly holding the Ganga together in Prof Abhayanand Singh Maurya puts it, 'The Ganga is not drying because groundwater is gone, but because of over-extraction, neglect of tributaries, and excessive diversion.'- Ends
