ground water

• Groundwater is water beneath the surface of the ground
• In Pakistan, due to water scarcity, there is a significant need for irrigation for crop cultivation
• Both ground water and surface water are utilized for irrigation purposes
• Groundwater is accessed through tubewells, karez, and wells
• Surface water is accessed through canals, diversion, and sailaba to re-channel water flowing into streams and rivers
• Groundwater is particularly valuable in regions like the Baluchistan Plateau and desert areas where irrigation is challenging due to low rainfall and unsuitable land
• In cities like Karachi, water scarcity is a problem due to the increasing population, leading to the use of groundwater for domestic purposes by pumping it out through drilled pipes
• Groundwater can be saline or sweet, being non-saline near recharge sources like rivers and major canals
• Groundwater gradually becomes more saline as the distance from recharge sources increases
• In industrial cities like Karachi, groundwater may be unsuitable for human consumption due to seepage of toxic chemicals, sewage, or seawater into the ground
• It is essential to test groundwater in a laboratory before using it