An Investigation of Recharging Groundwater Levels through River Ponding: New Strategy for Water Management in Sutlej River

Groundwater is an essential water resource in the current era, and studying its sustainability management highly necessary nowadays. In area of research interest, reduced mean annual Sutlej River flow, increase population/built-up areas, enhanced groundwater abstractions have recharge. To address this issue, recharge modeling through ponding was carried out using a modular three-dimensional finite-difference flow model (MODFLOW) 400 km2 adjacent to River. The historical table decline rate study 139 mm/year. population urbanization rates increased by 2.23 1.62% per year last 8 years. Domestic agricultural abstraction are increasing 1.15–1.30% year. Abstraction from wells river, Fordwah Canal, rainfall were modeled MODFLOW, which calibrated validated observed data for 3 results show that area’s average depletion will be 201 mm/year 20 re-run scenario, providing river levels 148–151 m. depict rise 3–5 m, expected 151 95 reveal storage capacity varies 26.5–153 Mm3, contributing 7.91–12.50 million gallons day (MGD), benefiting 27,650–32,100-acre area; means areas benefitted dam recharge, remain sustainable more than 50 years, overall area, it 7–12.3 Considering balance, recharging mechanism, i.e., dam, recommended abstraction.