PAU Partners with ISRO for Groundwater Research

PAU Secures ISRO Grant for Groundwater Sustainability Research

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, has received a three-year research grant from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to undertake a comprehensive study on groundwater sustainability. The project has been approved under ISRO’s RESPOND (Sponsored Research and Development) programme, marking a significant contribution towards strengthening India’s groundwater security amid increasing climate challenges.

The project was awarded through a competitive selection process involving research proposals from institutions across the country. Scientists from PAU successfully secured the grant for their research focused on understanding groundwater behaviour and climate-related risks.

Dr Samanpreet Kaur, principal scientist in the Department of Soil and Water Engineering at PAU and the project’s principal investigator, stated that the research team will monitor groundwater levels across different regions of India and assess the impact of climate change on groundwater resources. The study aims to identify areas vulnerable to groundwater-related risks and determine time periods when these regions are most susceptible.

As part of the research, the team will conduct an extensive analysis of data obtained from NASA’s GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) twin satellites to evaluate changes in groundwater storage. The study will also examine the behaviour of various aquifer systems across the country, including alluvial, hard-rock and coastal aquifers, each of which responds differently to environmental pressures.

Dr Kaur noted that preliminary observations in Punjab indicate an average annual depletion of nearly 50 cm in groundwater levels, although these findings are based on observed trends and require detailed validation. The project will therefore involve in-depth data analysis and field studies to better understand long-term groundwater risks and their driving factors.

The research will correlate data from multiple aquifer systems to assess present and future groundwater risks. Based on scientific evidence, the team aims to provide recommendations on sustainable groundwater extraction, including guidance on whether groundwater can be safely withdrawn from specific regions and the quantity that can be extracted without compromising long-term sustainability.

Another important objective of the project is to evaluate whether satellite-based observations can complement or partially replace conventional groundwater monitoring methods, such as piezometers, thereby enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of groundwater assessment.