Explained: Can India's Monsoon Recharge The Groundwater It Withdraws
India faces significant groundwater stress, with states like Punjab, Rajasthan, and Haryana extracting more water than is naturally replenished. While the monsoon is a vital source of recharge, experts warn that deficient rainfall due to El Nino conditions could exacerbate the country's water crisis.
Why it matters
Groundwater depletion is a critical long-term threat to India's food security and drinking water supply, requiring urgent policy intervention.
Every summer, large parts of India face water shortages. Reservoirs run low, rivers shrink, and many cities and villages rely heavily on groundwater for drinking and farming.Months of continuous pumping also lower groundwater levels. This makes the annual monsoon more than just a rainy season. It is India's biggest natural source of groundwater recharge, helping refill underground aquifers that support millions of people.This year, however, recharge may be weaker. The India Meteorological Department has forecast below-normal southwest monsoon rainfall (90 per cent of the Long Period Average), with a 60 per cent probability of a deficient monsoon due to El Nino conditions.Who is extracting the most groundwater?The pressure on groundwater is already evident.According to the latest Lok Sabha reply, based on the National Compilation on Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India, 2025 prepared by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Punjab continues to extract more groundwater than is naturally replenished…
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