International Journal of Human Resource & Industrial Research
Print ISSN : 2349–4816
Online ISSN : 2349–3593
Frequency : Monthly
Current Issue : Volume 12 , Issue 1
2025
Muneeb Ur Rahman, Dr. K. M. Wanjarwadkar
Muneeb Ur Rahman, Research student, Government Institute of Science Nipat Niranjan, Aurangabad
Dr.K.M.Wanjarwadkar, Associate Professor, Government Institute of Science Nipat Niranjan, Aurangabad.
DOI : https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16401068 Page No : 22-33
Published Online : 2025-06-30
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ABSTRACT
Groundwater underpins global water, food and industrial systems, yet faces large scale depletion due to unsustainable extraction, climate stress, agricultural demand and governance gaps. This review integrates findings from a global meta analysis of 386 case studies with institutional and technical literature to distill effective strategies and persistent challenges for sustainable groundwater management.Key findings include: (a) supply side interventions (e.g. recharge, infrastructure) often trigger rebound effects, increasing extraction by up to ~52 %; (b) demand side measures (e.g. improved irrigation efficiency) only lead to meaningful aquifer recovery when paired with strict regulation, and otherwise seldom reduce overexploitation below ~3 %; (c) aquifer stabilization occurred in fewer than 30 % of cases, typically when integrated multi measure approaches were used; (d) governance deficitssuch as weak regulation, poor monitoring, fragmented jurisdiction, and lack of stakeholder inclusionare major barriers; and (e) success requires nexus based policy linking water, land, agriculture and local engagement.
Keywords: Aquifer depletion, Groundwater governance, Groundwater sustainability, Demand side management, Rebound effect, Integrated water governance
