Rivers and Water Resources

Groundwater resources and challenges

Groundwater is the water found beneath the Earth's surface in aquifers, which are permeable rocks or sediments.
India is the largest user of groundwater in the world, with agriculture being the primary consumer.
The total replenishable groundwater resources in India are estimated to be approximately 433 billion cubic meters (BCM).
Major sources of groundwater recharge include rainfall, seepage from rivers, canals, and irrigation fields.
The largest groundwater reserves are found in the

Dams are constructed to store water for irrigation, hydropower generation, flood control, and water supply.
India is home to several significant multi-purpose river valley projects.
The Bhakra Nangal Dam, built on the Sutlej River, is one of the largest in India and supports irrigation and power generation.
The Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi River in Odisha is the longest dam in India.
The

Peninsular Rivers are mostly seasonal, with their flow primarily dependent on monsoon rainfall.
These rivers originate in the Peninsular Plateau and have relatively short and shallow courses.
The rivers are broadly divided into east-flowing (draining into the Bay of Bengal) and west-flowing (draining into the Arabian Sea).
The Godavari River, the longest Peninsular river, originates from Trimbak Plateau

Himalayan rivers are perennial, meaning they flow throughout the year due to glacial melt and monsoon rainfall.
These rivers originate in the Himalayan mountain ranges and have a large catchment area.
The three main river systems are the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra.
The Indus River System originates from the Bokhar Chu Glacier near Mount Kailash in Tibet.
The Ganga River System