Groundwater Development and Depletion: Prospects and Problems in a Pocket Area of Bangladesh

Abstract

"Bangladesh is mostly underlain by unconsolidated to poorly consolidated thick sediments. In addition, the tropical monsoon climate characterised by high temperature, heavy rainfall and often excessive humidity is very favourable for extensive development of groundwater resources in the country. Groundwater, a renewable natural resource, is observed in Bangladesh to be in dynamic equilibrium consistent with the extraction by natural and artificial means and recharge from rainfall, flood waters and surface water bodies. Different techniques and concepts for the development of groundwater are being practised without detailed investigation of the resources and its overall management policy. For example, the groundwater development programme using deep tubewells (DTWs) started in the country in late sixties. But tubewells were installed initially almost without evaluating the hydrogeologic characteristics and development potentialities of the local aquifers. There are important factors in determining the amount and cost of groundwater that can be developed and in forecasting the consequences of development."