Depletion of water table

If we draw more water from the ground than the amount of water that seeps into the ground, then the water table goes down and gets depleted. Water drawn from under the ground gets replenished by seepage of rainwater. The water table does not get affected as long as we draw as much water as is replenished by natural processes. However, the water table may go down if the water is not sufficiently replenished. This may happen due to many reasons.

Water table gets depleted due to:

• Increase in population: Increase in population creates demand for the construction of houses, shops, offices, roads, and pavements. This decreases the open areas like parks and playgrounds. This in turn decreases the seepage of rainwater into the ground. Consuming more groundwater for the above works and we are allowing lesser water to seep into the ground. This results in the depletion of water.
• Industrial activities: Water used by most industries is drawn from the ground. Due to this, the depletion is caused
• Agricultural activities: A majority of farmers in India depend upon rains for irrigation of their crops. Irrigation systems such as canals are there only in a few places. Therefore, farmers have to use groundwater for irrigation. Population pressure on agriculture forces increasing the use of groundwater day by day. This results in depletion of the water table.
  • Decrease in rainfall
  • Deforestation

Related Topics

• Water Cycle
• Test of Water
• Groundwater