Groundwater stress in India: Integrated analysis of quantity and quality

Indian agriculture is highly dependent on groundwater (GW). An increase in water-thirsty crops/industries, varying climatic patterns, and increasing population are major contributors to the GW imbalance and its quality deterioration. This study evaluates the integrated quantitative variations from GRACE gravity field data and qualitative scenarios from Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) data. GW footprint (iGF) is calculated at the district level for various aquifer systems based on their recharge pattern i.e. GW recharge, abstraction, environmental flows (discharges from springs, and streams), and GW quality information. The research identified the highest GW depletion in NW India by 6 $\mathrm{cm} / \mathrm{yr}$ (2002-2022) and the highest iGF in Kachchh (8.65) and Surendra Nagar (9.06) in Gujarat, Tonk (8.02) in Rajasthan, and Jhajjar (8.68) in Haryana as the most unsustainable districts due to GW overexploitation and contamination risks across the country. This study provides the district-wise GW stress scenarios considering the GW quantity and quality of the aquifer.