From Rainwater Harvesting to Groundwater Exploitation: Understanding theChanging Role of Farm Ponds and their Socio-economic Consequences in Maharashtra's Semi-Arid Region, India.

Abstract Groundwater plays a critical role in providing irrigation and drinking water in the drought-prone semi-arid region of Maharashtra, India. To address water scarcity, the government has promoted the construction of Farm Ponds (FPs) as a strategy to secure rural agrarian livelihoods and drought-proof the area. However, FPs, originally designed for rainwater harvesting, have now become commonly used as groundwater storage tanks, leading to overexploitation of groundwater by a few affluent farmers. This creates inequity in access to water by making it private and increases the vulnerability of other user communities. In this study, a systematic hydrogeological assessment was conducted, analysing 68 functional FPs constructed between 2009 and 2016 in six groundwater-vulnerable villages. The assessment focused on using Electrical Conductivity (EC) and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) as parameters to delineate the zone of influence created by the feeding wells of FPs. Furthermore, the study utilized the Groundwater Survey and Development Agency’s (GSDA) recharge priority zone map to examine the distribution of lined FPs and identify areas where these ponds hinder recharge in high and moderate priority recharge zones and their socio-economic impacts on farmers were evaluated. The findings provide valuable insights into the relationship between the Zone of Influence and its socio-economic impacts on farmers, offering a comprehensive understanding of the distribution, practices, and ill effects of farm ponds.