Abstract
In Pakistan, on-demand availability of groundwater has transformed the concept of low and uncertain crop yields into more assured crop production. Increased crop yields has resulted in food security and improved rural livelihoods. However, this growth has also led to problems of overdraft, falling water tables and degradation of groundwater quality, and yields generally remain well below potential levels. Over the last three decades, Pakistan has tried several direct and indirect management strategies for groundwater management. However the success has been limited. This paper argues that techno-institutional approaches such as introducing water rights, direct or indirect pricing and permit systems are fraught with difficulties in Pakistan due to its high population density and multitude of tiny users. Therefore there is a need to develop frameworks and management tools that are best suited to Pakistani needs. Pakistan should follow both supply and demand management approaches. For demand management, adoption of water conservation technologies, revision of existing cropping patterns and exploration of alternate water resources should be encouraged. For supply management, implementation of the groundwater regulatory frameworks developed by Provincial Irrigation and Drainage Authorities (PIDAs) and introduction of institutional reforms to enhance effective coordination between different organizations responsible for the management of groundwater resources should be given priority.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahmad MD, Turral H, Masih I, Giordano M, Masood Z (2007) Water saving technologies: myths and realities revealed in Pakistan’s rice-wheat systems. International Water Management Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka (IWMI Research Report 108), 44 pp
Bastiaanssen WGM (2000) Shared water resources information from space: new management opportunities or unwanted interference? Inaugural address, International institute for aerospace survey and earth sciences, Enschede, The Netherlands, 22 p
Bhutta MN (2002) Sustainable management of groundwater in the Indus basin. Paper presented at second South Asia water forum, Pakistan Water Partnership, Islamabad, Pakistan, 14–16 December 2002
Bhutta MN, Smedema LK (2007) One hundred years of waterlogging and salinity control in the Indus valley, Pakistan: a historical review. Irrig Drain 56:581–590. doi:10.1002/ird.333
Chebaane M, El-Naser H, Fitch J, Hijazi A, Jabbarin A (2004) Participatory groundwater management in Jordan: development and analysis of options. Groundwater: from development to management. Hydrogeol J 12(1):14–32
GOP (2000) Agricultural statistics of Pakistan. Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Economics Division, and Govt of Pakistan, Islamabad
GOP (2007) Agricultural statistics of Pakistan. Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Economics Division, and Govt of Pakistan, Islamabad
Haider G (2000) In: Proceedings of the international conference on regional groundwater management, October, 9–11, Islambad, Pakistan
Haider G, Prathapar SA, Afzal M, Qureshi AS (1999) Water for environment in Pakistan. Global water partnership workshop, Islamabad, Pakistan
Halcrow-ACE (2003) Exploitation and regulation of fresh groundwater—main report. ACE-Halcrow JV Consultants, Gulberg III, Lahore, Pakistan
Hussain T, Timmer V, Akram H, Yaqub A, Aslam M, Gilani G, Abbas MA (1990) Brackish water management strategies for crop production. In: Proceedings of the Indo-Pak workshop on soil salinity and water management, vol 2. Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad, Pakistan, pp 369–381
IWMI (2000) Water issues for 2025: a research perspective. Research contribution to the World Water Vision. International Water Management Institute, Colombo
IUCN (2000) Balochistan conservation strategy. Government of Balochistan and International Union for Conservation of Nature
Jurriens R, Mollinga PP (1996) Scarcity by design: protective irrigation in India and Pakistan. Irrig Drain 45(2):31–53
Kinzelbach W, Bauer P, Siegfried T, Brunner P (2003) Sustainable groundwater management—problems and scientific tools, vol 26, no 4. Institute for Hydromechanics and Water Resources Management, ETH, Zurich, Switzerland, pp 279–283
Kumar S (1995) Suitability of simulation techniques in reuse of drainage water. In: Proc national seminar on reclamation and management of waterlogged saline soils, Karnal, India, pp 331–346
Lohmar B, Wang J, Rozelle S, Huang J, Dawe D (2003) China’s agricultural policy reforms: increasing investment, resolving conflicts and revising incentives. Agricultural Information Bulletin # 782, Economic Research Service, USDA
Meinzen-Dick R (1997) Groundwater markets in Pakistan: participation and productivity. Research report no 105. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington
Negri DH (1989) The common property aquifer as a differential game. Water Resour Res 25(1):9–15. doi:10.1029/WR025i001p00009
NESPAK/SGI (1991) Contribution of private tubewells in the development of water potential. Final report. NESPAK in association with Specialist Group Inc (Pvt) Ltd
Oweis T, Hachum A (2001) Reducing peak supplemental irrigation demand by extending sowing dates. Agric Water Manag 50:109–123. doi:10.1016/S0378-3774(01)00096-8
Pakistan Water Partnership (PWP) (2001) The framework for action for achieving the Pakistan Water Vision 2025. WAPDA-Lahore, Pakistan
PPSGDP (2000) Legal and regulatory framework for Punjab Province. Punjab Private Sector Groundwater Development Project (PPSGDP). Technical Report No 45, Lahore, Pakistan
Prathapar SA, Qureshi AS (1999) Modeling the effects of deficit Irrigation on soil salinity, depth to watertable and transpiration in semi-arid zones with monsoon rains. J Water Resour Dev 15(1–2):141–159. doi:10.1080/07900629948989
Qadir M, Ghafoor A, Murtaze G (2001) Use of saline-sodic waters through phytoremediation of calcarous saline sodic soils. Agric Water Manag 50:197–210. doi:10.1016/S0378-3774(01)00101-9
Qureshi AS, Akhtar M (2003) Effect of electricity pricing policies on groundwater management in Pakistan. Pak J Water Resour 7(2):1–9
Qureshi AS, Shah T, Akhtar M (2003) The groundwater economy of Pakistan. IWMI working paper no 64, International Water Management Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 23 pp
Qureshi AS, Masih I, Turral H (2006) Comparing water productivities of transplanted and direct seeded rice for Pakistani Punjab. J Appl Irrig Sci 41(1):47–60
Qureshi AS, Asghar MN, Ahmad S, Masih I (2004) Sustaining crop production under saline groundwater conditions: a case study from Pakistan. Aust J Agric Sci 54(2):421–431. doi:10.1071/AR03205
Qureshi AS, McCornick PG, Qadir M, Aslam Z (2008) Managing salinity and waterlogging in the Indus Basin of Pakistan. Agric Water Manag 95:1–10. doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2007.09.014
Shalhevet J (1994) Using water of marginal water quality for crop production. Agric Water Manag 25:233–269. doi:10.1016/0378-3774(94)90063-9
Sharma DP, Rao KVGK (1998) Strategy for long-term use of saline drainage water in semi-arid regions. Soil Tillage Res 47:287–295. doi:10.1016/S0167-1987(98)00135-4
Shah T (2000) Groundwater markets and agricultural development: a South Asian overview. In: Proceedings of regional groundwater management seminar, Pakistan Water Partnership, 9–11 October 2000
Shah T (2007) The groundwater economy of South-Asia: an assessment of size, significance and socio-ecological impacts. In: Giordano M, Villholth KG (eds) The agricultural groundwater revolution: opportunities and threat to development. CABI, Wallingford, pp 7–36
Shah T, Debroy A, Qureshi AS, Wang J (2003) Sustaining Asia’s groundwater boom: an overview of issues and evidence. Nat Resour Forum 27:130–141. doi:10.1111/1477-8947.00048
Venot JP, Turral H, Samad M, Molle F (2007) Explaining basin closure through shifting waterscape in the lower Krishna Basin, South India. Research Report, International Water Management Institute, Colombo
WAPDA (2007) Waterlogging, salinity and drainage situation. SCARP Monitoring Organization, Water and Power Development Authority, Lahore
World Bank (2007) Punjab groundwater policy—mission report. WB-SA-PK-Punjab GW Mission report. http://www.worldbank.org/gwmate. Accessed June 2007
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Qureshi, A.S., McCornick, P.G., Sarwar, A. et al. Challenges and Prospects of Sustainable Groundwater Management in the Indus Basin, Pakistan. Water Resour Manage 24, 1551–1569 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-009-9513-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-009-9513-3