IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON GROUNDWATER RESOURCES WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS TO TAMIL NADU - A REVIEW

摘要

Climate change studies are one of the most emergency fields in the entire sector to understand the safe living on the Earth in future. Water is crucial for survive, but its availability at a sustainable quality and quantity is threatened by many factors, of which climate plays a foremost role. Groundwater is one of the most utilized resources in India for drinking and irrigation purposes. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that the global mean surface temperature has increased 0.6 ± 0.2°C since 1861, and predicts an increase of 2 to 4°C over the next 100 years. The present study carried out reviews on impact of climate change on groundwater resources with special emphasis to Tamil Nadu State. The normal annual rainfall fall over the state is 958.4 mm is received. The maximum temperature over Tamil Nadu is projected to increase by 1.1°C, 2.0°C and 3.4°C in the years 2040, 2070 and 2100 respectively with reference to the baseline 1970-2000. Annual rainfall projected for 2040 indicates a general increase in rainfall by about 7cm for the period 2040 to 2070 with reference to the base mean 1970 to 2000 while it increases by 9cm for the period 2070 to 2100. The State depends (75%) on neighbouring States for considerable quantum of flows annually and up to 80% of the groundwater is being used out of total available. This has led to the decline in groundwater table. Due to erratic rainfall and inflation of agricultural inputs many agricultural lands were kept fallow or converted for other uses and agricultural labourers migrated to urban areas for searching jobs to sustain their life. In this context, it is necessary to estimate the climate change impact on groundwater resources in Tamil Nadu State for better sustainable environmental development.