Impacts of urbanization and Land Use Land Cover (LULC) on declination of water table in Islamabad, Pakistan

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.