GIS-Based Modeling for the Monitoring of Groundwater Scarcity Fluctuation

Abstract

More stress on freshwater resources make Lahore a water-scarce city. To accommodate this scarce condition a management system is required which give detailed information about which part of the city is facing more water-scarce condition and also in which season more scarcity prevails in the city to resolve this problem and to provide better management of the reserve, an easy and coast effective GIS-based modeling for groundwater scarcity measurement. In this study different Geo-statistical techniques were used along with limited groundwater depth measurements, from 2014 to 2017, from already installed production wells within the residential area. As the depression zone formation occurred due to overexploitation of groundwater resulting in the depletion of the underlying aquifer. Aquifer response had been assessed using Groundwater Scarcity Footprint (GSF). This GSF fluctuates both in response to the variation in recharge and withdrawal condition of groundwater. The acceleration in scarcity level from 2014 to 2017 for the study area is - 1.9, 16.21 and19.69 km2/year in July, April, and October respectively. The fluctuation in the center of the depression zone/ Groundwater scarcity center (GSC) gives better identification of which part of the city is in more water stress condition. And these regions are the eastern and southern parts of the city where a newly constructed housing scheme and metro train create a great influence on recharge and abstraction rates of groundwater. The depth at GSC (D-GSC) is found to help cross-check the trends of the groundwater budget that was initially concluded from GSF.