Last Updated: 27 Dec 2023

¶ 1. Palla Yamuna Floodplain Project

• 18 flooding cycles take place in the Yamuna floodplains every season when water levels go above 208m^[1]
• With each cycle yielding 2,100 million gallons (MG) of water^[1:1]
• The Palla floodplain extends along around 25km of the Yamuna north of Wazirabad^[2]
• The reservoir project is designed to recharge the city’s groundwater table by harvesting floodwaters from the Yamuna during the monsoon season by increasing the percolation rate of groundwater^[2:1]
• This groundwater can then be extracted for use during the lean summer months^[2:2]

Target: 50 MGD out of 300 MGD water supply gap can be filled through Palla Floodplain region once fully implemented

¶ Pilot Project

Pilot Project 2019

• Currently spread across 40 acres, of which a pond has been created on 26 acres^[3]
• A 26-acre pond was created near Sangarpur in Palla to assess the impact of floodwater collection on groundwater recharge during the monsoon^[4]
• Cost: The land has been leased at the rate of 94,328 per acre, and the government spends around 52 lakh on the project every year^[2:3]
• Piezometers: More than 35 piezometers have been installed up to a distance of 2km to study the impact of recharged water during floods^[4:1]

Outcome: SUCCESS

• A rise in the groundwater level was observed even after regular extraction of 4000 MG by the farmers of the surrounding area and 16000 MG through borewells by the DJB to supply water^[3:1]
• The groundwater table has increased by 2 metres in the Palla floodplains due to the pilot project^[1:2]

Delhi Jal Board to install 200 tubewells to extract 25 million gallons per day (MGD) additional water from Palla floodplain^[4:2]

Ground water recharge data in 3 years^[3:2]

• An average of 812 million gallons of groundwater has been recharged every year since the project was set up

Detailed coverage

https://youtu.be/IJSt4SINR3Q?si=m30izKNRvr-5B8Iq

¶ Full Project^[1:3]

Expansion

• The pond area to be increased to 1,000 acres to collect Yamuna floodwater
• 20,300 MG of groundwater will be recharged once fully implemented

Current Status

• July 2023: The final report of Palla pilot has been submitted to Central Ground Water Commission and Upper Yamuna River Board for their approval

¶ 2. Bawana lake recharge^[5]

• The lake is 3 km long and 20m wide
• This is an abandoned part of old bawana escape drain
• When water level breaches the danger mark in Yamuna river, the excess of rainwater of Yamuna is diverted to this new artificial lake in Bawana

Outcome: In August 2022
-- Lake had already recharged 3.8 MGD of water in 17 days
-- Sufficient for 1.25 lakh houses

References:

---

1. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/delhi-govt-to-continue-palla-floodplain-project-to-recharge-groundwater-101656008962749.html ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

2. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/delhi-govt-s-palla-floodplain-project-enters-fifth-phase-101689098713827.html ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

3. https://hetimes.co.in/environment/kejriwal-governkejriwal-governments-groundwater-recharge-experiment-at-palla-floodplain-reaps-great-success-2-meter-rise-in-water-table-recordedments-groundwater-recharge-experiment-at-palla-floodp/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

4. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/djb-to-extract-25mgd-additional-water-from-floodplain-at-palla/articleshow/77044669.cms ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

5. https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2022/aug/19/excess-rainwater-from-yamuna-river-diverted-to-artificial-lakes-to-recharge-groundwater-2489154.html ↩︎