Artificial recharge initiatives in India: Challenges and future scope

Artificial recharge of aquifers is regarded as a fundamental supply-side strategy in India to address the prevalent issue of groundwater over-exploitation. Rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge are often implemented as cohesive sets of interventions because of the significant collateral benefits of rainwater harvesting. Central and state governments have implemented various schemes that incorporate rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge. Several studies are underway to investigate the optimal selection of construction sites, structural types, and designs based on local hydrogeology, groundwater flow patterns, terrain conditions, and water demand. These investigations aimed to assess the impact of these factors on resource replenishment and water quality enhancement. Studies have been conducted to determine the extent to which such initiatives yield socio-economic advantages. The discourse has encompassed crucial concerns, such as the accessibility of source water for recharge, conflicts between upstream and downstream stakeholders, and the increasing recognition of various demand-side measures for the sustainable administration of groundwater reservoirs. The paper highlights that there has been a rise in the number of studies regarding artificial recharge post-2020. Overall, this paper showcases the challenges for the implementation of artificial recharge structures with special focus on aspects such as site suitability, water quality concerns, operational problems and governance. The study also sheds light on the future scope of artificial recharge for the sustainable use of groundwater resources. More studies should be performed considering large-scale implications of artificial recharge structures considering resilience towards climate change and water quality and quality concerns.