Abstract:
Rapid urbanization trend throughout the globe and land use land cover (LULC)
pattern change has led to the stress of freshwater resources. Prime aim of the study is to
investigate the impacts of urbanization and LULC on the declination of the water table in
Islamabad, Pakistan, and possible solutions to sustain water tables through artificial
recharge in the study area. Existing aquifers of the study area are overruling the safe limit
due to the unnecessary pumping of water from underground aquifers. Due to
overpopulation, the LULC of the study area has been changed a lot. Many green pastures
have been converted to barren land due to overpopulation and its effects on the
environment and some of important effects are deforestation, pollution of surface and
groundwater, unnecessary pumping of groundwater and an increase in a barren land. Our
research is mainly based on data provided by the Capital Development Authority (CDA),
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and images of Landsat Satellite by using ArcGIS software. After analyzing the data for the last 20 years (2000-2020) PMD and CDA,
results were clearly interpreted by using Arc GIS and according to results, it was observed
that there is a considerable drop in water level due to over-pumping in few sectors of
Islamabad. It was mainly associated with the increase in the population of Capital with the
passage of time. This study is also carried out for finding the potential spots for making
Check Dams and injecting wells for enhancing and recharge the groundwater aquifers of
Capital, Islamabad. Making check-dams catchment areas is found throughout the Margalla
Hills along with different localities such as Rumli Village, Trail 5 and Shahdara.
