Groundwater Management Services for AMRUT 2.0

We the Consultant team of Experts of SPA GEO Technologies are proud team of providing end to end services for ground water management/aquifer mapping to management plan to urban and rural area under AMRUT 2.0

Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT 2.0) launched on 1 October 2021. It aims to develop water secure cities in the spirit of AatmaNirbar Bharat. It targets to provide reliable 2.68 crore new water tap connections to all in about statutory towns. Also, it proposes to get universal household coverage of sewerage/ septage services in 500 AMRUT cities through 2.64 crore new sewer connections. Rejuvenation of water bodies, green spaces and parks are other components of this Mission.

The objectives are as follows

a. To define aquifer geometry, aquifer type, groundwater behaviours hydraulic properties, and geochemistry of multi-layered aquifer system at 1:10,000 scale

b. Establishing the intervention and utility of new geophysical techniques and capacity

c. The adaptability of aquifer management techniques in different hydrological conditions

d. Finalize policy and methodology for implementing the National Aquifer Mapping and Management Program (NAQUIM) for selected states and country.

e. Experiences gained can be used to scale up activities for per-micro-level aquifer mapping 

Urban aquifer management is to be undertaken the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 to enhance sustainable fresh water supply. All urban level bodies (ULBs) shall prepare urban watershed management plans under AMRUT 2.0 mission. The main objective is to develop aquifer management plan at city level. The micro-level aquifer mapping is essential to develop aquifer management plan at city level. We shall apply the best mix of expertise, tools, and instruments to undertake the following Key Services

Data Generation

Consolidation of data

Acquiring existing GW data and maps which helps to know data availability and identification of data gaps. It creates single, coherent, and more effective database

Aquifer Mapping on 1:10000 scale

Establish the aquifer units, urban wetland in the state and city, it is helps to processing and compilation of thematic maps on GIS platform for data integration. Also identify potential of aquifers to accept recharge.

Data Assessment and Representation

The Sustainable Urban Development and Service Delivery Program (SUDSDP) guideline supports development of management strategies based on aquifer mapping done at a micro level i.e. 1:10000. A framework suggests latest scientific methods for various terrain condition. With the advancement in technology, GIS can now be used to identify recharge areas by superimposing different thematic maps/ layers using DRASTIC approach (Approach developed by United States Environment Protection Agency for assessing groundwater Potential) by assigning weights to different thematic layers in the GIS platform. This shall also be done by using any other scientific technique.

Ground water assessment

Assessment of recharge and discharge zones which is estimated potentiality of aquifers and ULB’s dependence on groundwater. Also, assessment of wastewater infiltration into groundwater.

Categorization of administrative units

Data assessment of stage of groundwater extractions in all units/wards of city which is help to identification of intervention areas.

Aquifer response modelling

Identification of problems and issues, GW flow modelling and identification of aquifer issues such as groundwater stressed areas, water quality vulnerable areas, water logging areas, non-potential groundwater areas, recharge areas etc. It helps to facilitate a scientific approach towards management of groundwater aquifer. Also find climate change effect, disaster risk (flood and drought impact) and social economic effects on groundwater potential.

Aquifer Management Strategies

Identification and demarcation of areas for implementation of groundwater management strategies which helps to standardization of UAMP for all ULB’s and ease of monitoring to assess the change in the dynamic groundwater balance over the mission period. Define groundwater strategies and identify resources required, timeline, financing, technical assistance required, capacity building and identify challenges and risk in its implementation. It helps to improve communication within the ULB and promote sustainability of policies and laws of groundwater abstraction. Also, prioritisation of reforms and effective channelizing of budget.

Stakeholder consultation for Validated of UAMP

Implementation and enforcement

It includes, role dissemination, finalization of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) indicators and workshop dissemination. It helps to creation of accountability, providing ease of reporting using M&E indicators and capacity building. 

Review and finalization of management plans (ULB level, state level) through stakeholder consultations

It is including brief presentation of the urban aquifer areas, groundwater recharge, aquifer disposition, Aquifer Management Plan which includes management strategies specific for the study area. It is helps to understand location specific protocols and agreements.

 Implementation and Progress Mapping of UAMP by ULB 

Monitoring and Evaluation

It includes, Integrated Management Information, real time dashboard, geotagging assets and surveillance by community. This will create a scientific routine for data compilation and support for creating strategies in the subsequent plans.

Measuring outputs and outcomes

Mapping of outcomes through specific indicators for progress tracking 

Provide action plan for next financial year

Quarterly implementation schedule for management strategies

 Preparation of groundwater development plan

The consultant will undertake groundwater development planning through analysis of data of natural aquifer condition (meteorology, hydrology, and hydrogeology) that were accumulated by reliable observation and measurement, borehole inventory and prediction of future water demand and forecast the aquifer development against climate change scenarios. Define optimum groundwater development of the aquifer corresponding to the safe yield. The consultant to compare the current pumping status against the aquifer safe yield such that areas of high abstraction are subjected to restriction, areas with medium abstraction are carefully planned for future development based on the known established safe yield while areas with low abstraction currently can be promoted for groundwater development. Using the result of assessment exercise and analysis that were carried out during the study, the consultant required to formulate the groundwater development plan. This will incorporate current needs and projected plans from the Governments in the relevant aquifer areas. This plan should be presented to relevant aquifer development stakeholders for comments and ratification in a workshop setting. This consultancy will also evaluate and prescribe aquifer uses for various competing needs including but not exclusive to potential small holder and large irrigation, public water supply, livestock, commercial and environmental. This plan should be presented to relevant aquifer development stakeholders for comments and ratification in a workshop setting. Each aquifer should be addressed separately from the other. This should provide sufficient details include depth of boreholes, distances between boreholes taking in account the grazing management practices that are in place in the areas. The consultant will develop aquifer allocation plans and demand management plans for overexploited aquifer/aquifer areas or entire aquifer as delineated or zoned under assessment. He will develop an infrastructure budgeted master plan for aquifer development for which counties will peg their groundwater development plans. This consultancy will also evaluate and prescribe aquifer uses for various competing needs including but not exclusive to potential small holder and large irrigation, public water supply, livestock and environmental. The consultant will table the plan in a workshop setting to enable appropriate dissemination. The dissemination should consider divergent capacities of stakeholders and ensure that the information can be translated to an acceptable form of communication that can be understood at community level.

Development of Aquifer Management Plan (Aquifer Conservation and PROTECTION PLAN)

The consultant is expected having determined the aquifer recharge mechanism develop aquifer protection and conservation plan along with stakeholders to enable aquifer sustainability in the face of various land use changes, anthropogenic activities including livelihood activities. The plan will include costed structural and nonstructural activities including conservation, livelihood, gazettment of the conservation area that will secure the aquifer for the future, with time frames and responsibilities for various activities. The consultant will be expected to table the implementation aspects including the governance structure for the aquifer management to the aquifer stakeholders. AMPs need to be prepared in a simplified manner so that they are easily understood and implementable by the stakeholders, while ensuring wider acceptability. Sustainability necessarily considers the reliability, resilience and the vulnerability of the resource. Reliability is the ability of system to meet demands; resilience is the measure of the ability of the system to recover from failure and vulnerability is the measure of loss/damage incurred because of failure. The consultant will undertake an analysis of appropriate aquifer protection best practice in similar settings and recommend practices that will be tenable in the aquifer recharge areas that will be determined in this contract. This will include appropriate conservation and livelihood activities in these areas. This should be taken through stakeholder engagements by the consultant for buy-in and ratification. Manuals for the various techniques for conservation including greening techniques and livelihood activities will be provided, with appropriate drawings and illustration for ease of reference. Methods for community adoption/take up of appropriate activities will be recommended by the consultant.