According to a study by the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR), there is a direct correlation between groundwater depletion and land sinking. The industrial areas of Vatva in the eastern portion of Ahmedabad and Bhopal-Ghuma in the western half are sinking at a pace of 25mm per year, according to the report.
The water wells of Bopal, Hazipur Garden, Ghuma, and Arbudanagar are decreasing at a rate of 2mm per year, according to a report published in the Geocarto International publication. According to the study, large depletions have been documented from Sola and Shilaj, where water wells are subsiding at 9.8mm per year and 8.2mm per year, respectively.
According to the report, soil subsidence causes fractures, fissures, and micro-level topographic changes, which inflict severe damage to metropolitan infrastructure. Experts also stated that the freshly placed underground civil lines and concrete structures on the city’s surface are more concerning.
According to ISR experts, the city’s south-eastern sections and surrounding rural areas have experienced significant subsidence, while the city’s west-central areas have had mild subsidence. Low-level depletion has been found in the city’s east-central areas.
The scientists examined groundwater level data from the Central Ground Water Board from 1996 through 2020 for the study.
“Spontaneous water loss leads to vertical compression of aquifer sediments by reducing pore pressure and soil compaction, resulting in land subsidence,” said Rakesh Dumka, an ISR researcher. Land sinking causes micro-level topographic changes, surface fractures, and fissures, resulting in severe damage to city infrastructure.”
According to the report, the sinking rate of the Vatva well is 8.1mm/year and the central portions of the city are diminishing at a pace of 3.0mm/year.