Patna: Nearly 21.2% of Gaya district has low to very low groundwater potential, posing a major challenge for a region heavily dependent on groundwater for agriculture, drinking water and rural livelihoods, according to a study by researchers at the Central University of South Bihar (CUSB).The study has mapped groundwater prospect zones across the district and found significant spatial disparities in the availability of the resource. Conducted by Sunita Singh of CUSB’s geography department along with research scholars Tarun Kumar and Vaishnavi Swami, the findings have been published in the InternationalJournalofWater, a Scopus-indexed journal.According to the study, 43.7% of Gaya falls in the good-to-moderate groundwater prospect category, while 25.45% is classified as moderate. Only 9.67% of the district has good groundwater prospects. In contrast, 14.03% has low and 7.15% very low groundwater potential.The findings highlight sharp geographical variations in groundwater availability, suggesting that a uniform water-management strategy may not be effective across the district.Researchers found that northern parts of Gaya generally have better groundwater prospects due to favourable rainfall, gentle slopes, agricultural land use and alluvial formations. Central and riverine areas also offer relatively favourable conditions.Groundwater prospects decline considerably in the southern and southwestern regions, where hard-rock terrain, exposed rocky surfaces and steeper slopes limit groundwater storage and recharge. Eastern and northeastern parts of the district exhibit mixed groundwater potential because of variations in geology, drainage patterns and land characteristics.The researchers said the groundwater prospect map could serve as a scientific tool for planning targeted recharge and conservation measures instead of treating the district as a single hydrogeological unit.The study has implications for rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, water-resource planning and the identification of areas requiring urgent conservation interventions. It could help planners and local authorities prioritise measures based on location-specific conditions.The researchers said the findings could contribute to long-term water security and sustainable groundwater management not only in Gaya but also in other water-stressed regions of Bihar.
