Latest news with #HydrologicalProcesses
India Today
04-08-2025
- Science
- India Today
Ganga river quietly loses over 50% of its water without us knowing. Here's how
A new study from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has revealed new insights into the hydrology of the Ganga River, shedding light on its summer flow and water loss dynamics as it leaves the by Professor Abhayanand S. Maurya, the research emphasises how the mighty river loses over half of its volume every year without anyone noticing team also discovered that groundwater, rather than glacial melt, is the primary source sustaining the Ganga's summer flow across the plains. Published in the journal Hydrological Processes, the study analysed two decades of extensive field data, challenging prevailing narratives driven largely by satellite observations of North India's groundwater to fears of widespread aquifer depletion, the research found that the central Ganga plain's groundwater system remains surprisingly stable. This stability is evident in the consistent output measured from thousands of shallow hand pumps, suggesting a robust and resilient underground water network still actively feeding the river. The study calls for renewed focus on restoring tributaries feeding the Ganga. (Photo: Getty) As the Ganga flows out of the Himalayas and into the plains, its volume notably increases by nearly 120 percent thanks to this reliable groundwater input. However, the research also uncovers a major and often overlooked issue: more than 58 percent of the river's water evaporates during the hot summer tremendous loss highlights the critical role of evaporation in diminishing the river's flow and underscores the urgency of addressing water conservation along the river findings carry significant implications for water resource management in the region, especially concerning aquifer recharge and tributary IIT Roorkee study led by Prof. Abhayanand S. Maurya reveals groundwater—not glacial melt—sustains Ganga's summer flow in the plains. Published in Hydrological Processes, it highlights the need for aquifer recharge & tributary revival.#IITRoorkee #GangaRiver #Hydrology IIT Roorkee (@iitroorkee) August 1, 2025The study calls for renewed focus on restoring tributaries feeding the Ganga and efforts to enhance groundwater recharge, ensuring continued flow during critical dry an era where climate change and human activity increasingly threaten water resources, this research not only redefines the understanding of Ganga's hydrology but also provides a scientific basis for sustainable river basin Professor Maurya points out, safeguarding the underground water system is essential to maintaining the health and heritage of one of India's most vital rivers. - EndsMust Watch
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.
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
