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Groundwater is a precious gift of nature and is being used for drinking, agricultural, industrial, livestock. In Punjab province of Pakistan groundwater is contributing about fifty percent towards irrigation water requirements where a large aquifer underlying the Indus River Basin (IRB) is being depleted rapidly. In the present research a methodology/criterion has been developed and applied for identification of the suitable sites for recharging the aquifer artificially in the Punjab province in Pakistan. Major activities carried out include the installation of exploratory boreholes, collection and analysis of soil and water samples, determination of aquifer parameter (hydraulic conductivity) in laboratory. Other field observations include observation of groundwater levels, land availability, water availability, and physiographic features. On the basis of field surveys and laboratory investigations, criteria for identification of potential sites for artificial recharge to augment the groundwater reservoir has been developed. Keeping in view the parameters adopted in the criteria, thirteen potential sites in the critical areas have been identified for artificial recharge to replenish the depleting groundwater levels. This research provides guidelines for the decision-makers for future investment for sustainable groundwater management.

Flood bunds are earthen embankments constructed along rivers to control the floods. Historically speaking, floods in Indus River Basin (IRB) in Pakistan have been posing serious threats and damages to infrastructure and human lives. A long infrastructure of flood bunds (about 6807km) exists parallel to the main river to agricultural crops, human settlements, livestock, industries, etc. from the hydro-disasters arising from the floods in the country. Punjab Province has been severely hit by heavy floods causing severe loss to human lives, infrastructure, crops, livestock, etc. A study was carried out to evaluate the “health” of flood bunds by investigating their geotechnical, geometrical, geochemical, and hydraulic properties to ascertain strength against breaching during floods. A length of about 731 km of river Chenab in Punjab Province of Pakistan was selected to investigate the vulnerability of flood embankments at 78 sites of 38 flood bunds which were found critical after the 2014 flood in Pakistan. Different field activities including density test, measurement of geometrical parameters, collection of undisturbed/disturbed soil samples, physical inspections, and collection of ground-water samples from bore holes were performed. Laboratory tests including soil texture, Atterberg’s limits, compaction, unconfined compressive strength, permeability, direct shear, etc. were performed in laboratories of Irrigation Research Institute, Lahore, Pakistan. An Index called river embankment breaching vulnerability index (REBVI) has been prescribed and calculated to evaluate the strength of the flood embankments against breaching. Cluster analysis has been carried out for different indicators keeping in view the value of REBVI. On the basis of REBVI and Cluster analysis, it was concluded that 11 out of 78 sites are showing high strength against the breaching action, while 35 sites indicated low potential against the breaching action. In other words, it has been found that the consistency of the embankment is very high for 11 sites and high for 35 flood bund sites. The consistency of the embankments is medium, low, and very low at the remaining 16, 12, and 4 flood bund sites due to moderate vulnerability, high probability of embankment breaching, and very high vulnerability respectively.

In a water-scarce country such as Pakistan, rainfall is the third-largest source of freshwater. In most of the urban cities of the country, rainwater is mixed with sewerage and is rendered useless for managed aquifer recharge purposes. Therefore, this study investigates the rainfall potential for managed aquifer recharge in Lahore (Pakistan). The present research was designed and conducted by the Irrigation Research Institute (IRI). Three different sites were selected for rainwater sample collection across the study area (Lahore), ranging from urban to rural areas. The rainwater samples were collected and divided into three categories (direct capture, rooftop runoff, street runoff). For longer rainfall events, the effect of time on the quality of the collected rainwater samples was also studied. Spatiotemporal trends of turbidity, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, carbonates, bicarbonates, chloride, calcium, magnesium, and hardness in the collected rainwater samples were investigated. In terms of TDS, results indicated that directly captured rainwater is most suitable for managed aquifer recharge (TDS < 50 ppm), followed by rooftop runoff (TDS < 100 ppm). In addition, the quality of rainwater samples collected at the rural site was comparatively better. Moreover, the quality of rainwater samples improved after the initial ten minutes. All in all, this study concludes that direct capture of rainwater is the most suitable option for managed aquifer recharge.

The main objective of this study was to develop a procedure to evaluate various recharge components of a groundwater reservoir to estimate the long term average seasonal groundwater recharge in Rechna doab in the Punjab province of Pakistan. A regional lumped water balance model for the Rechna doab was developed and applied to estimate the long term a seasonal recharge to groundwater reservoir. For comparison, recharge was also estimated by a specific yield method from observed groundwater levels. A water balance study was conducted on seasonal basis (6 months) for a period of 31 years (1960–1990). Recharge estimated by the two methods was found to be in good agreement. The average value of net groundwater recharge during Kharif (April–September) season was found to be some 60 mm. No recharge occurred during Rabi (October–March), rather there was a depletion of the groundwater reservoir during the winter months. Long term average annual depletion of a groundwater reservoir was found to be greater than corresponding value of annual recharge. It was concluded that on a regional basis the groundwater reservoir was being depleted resulting in an average groundwater table of Rechna doab about 2.3 m fall over the 1960–1990 period.