The linkage between precipitation intensity and monsoon season groundwater recharge in India

Groundwater is the primary source of fresh water for agriculture and household consumption in India. The balance between withdrawal and recharge is essential for the sustainable management of groundwater. Precipitation plays an important role on groundwater recharge in the majority of India, but the role of precipitation intensity on recharge is unexplored. Here we established the linkage between groundwater recharge and precipitation intensity using more than 5800 well level observations. We observed a strong linkage between recharge and low-intensity precipitation in the north-west and north-central India whereas in south India high-intensity precipitation is the major contributor. Our analysis shows a significant decline in low-intensity precipitation in the north-west and north central India which is governed primarily by Pacific Ocean sea surface temperature. We observed an increase in high-intensity precipitation in south India and is strongly associated with sea surface temperature in the Atlantic Ocean. Our findings have great significance in the sustainable management of strained groundwater resources in India under changing climate.