Enhancing Sustainable Groundwater Governance through the Groundwater Management Information System (GMIS): A Case Study of Punjab, Pakistan

Pakistan is facing an escalating water crisis, intensified by climate change impacts over the past two decades. Limited freshwater resources and rising competition among agricultural, domestic, and industrial users have worsened water scarcity. Punjab—Pakistan’s agricultural hub—is experiencing a se...

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Autores principales: Ullah, Muhammad Kaleem, Hafeez, Mohsin, Iqbal, Naveed, Cheema, Muhammad Jehanzeb Masud, Siddiqui, Salman, Aeman, Hafsa, Zafar, Haseeb, Bodla, Habibullah, Ashraf, Muhammad
Formato: Resumen
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/180200
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author Ullah, Muhammad Kaleem
Hafeez, Mohsin
Iqbal, Naveed
Cheema, Muhammad Jehanzeb Masud
Siddiqui, Salman
Aeman, Hafsa
Zafar, Haseeb
Bodla, Habibullah
Ashraf, Muhammad
author_browse Aeman, Hafsa
Ashraf, Muhammad
Bodla, Habibullah
Cheema, Muhammad Jehanzeb Masud
Hafeez, Mohsin
Iqbal, Naveed
Siddiqui, Salman
Ullah, Muhammad Kaleem
Zafar, Haseeb
author_facet Ullah, Muhammad Kaleem
Hafeez, Mohsin
Iqbal, Naveed
Cheema, Muhammad Jehanzeb Masud
Siddiqui, Salman
Aeman, Hafsa
Zafar, Haseeb
Bodla, Habibullah
Ashraf, Muhammad
author_sort Ullah, Muhammad Kaleem
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Pakistan is facing an escalating water crisis, intensified by climate change impacts over the past two decades. Limited freshwater resources and rising competition among agricultural, domestic, and industrial users have worsened water scarcity. Punjab—Pakistan’s agricultural hub—is experiencing a severe groundwater crisis, marked by rapid depletion (e.g., 6.89 ft/year in Depalpur) and contamination (e.g., arsenic >171.8 µg/L in Renala Khurd), threatening water security for 120 million people. This study assesses the transformative role of the Groundwater Management Information System (GMIS), developed under the Water Resource Accountability in Pakistan (WRAP) Programme. It examines GMIS’s institutional, technical, and policy linkages. Backed by the Punjab Water Act 2019, GMIS enables bodies like the Punjab Water Resources Commission to enforce extraction limits (e.g., 300–400 ft drilling bans) and prioritize domestic use in contamination zones. GMIS operationalizes national and provincial policies, including the National Water Policy 2018, through integrated dashboards supporting conjunctive water management and climate-resilient solutions, such as solar-powered tubewells. Hydrogeological zoning using CTD divers and GIS mapping reveals aquifer-level variations. Targeted solutions—like Managed Aquifer Recharge and arsenic filtration—are tailored to local needs. To support adaptive planning under climate stress, a MODFLOW-based model simulates aquifer responses to recharge loss, over-extraction, and policy interventions. Scenario-based modeling helps identify vulnerable zones, test seasonal caps, and optimize recharge strategies. Persistent challenges include staffing shortages, outdated IT infrastructure, and weak licensing enforcement. The study recommends modernizing data systems, expanding monitoring in underserved areas, and adopting participatory models for stakeholder engagement. GMIS offers a scalable framework for sustainable groundwater governance, underscoring the need for integrated, climate-smart water management.
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spelling CGSpace1802002026-01-20T09:58:41Z Enhancing Sustainable Groundwater Governance through the Groundwater Management Information System (GMIS): A Case Study of Punjab, Pakistan Ullah, Muhammad Kaleem Hafeez, Mohsin Iqbal, Naveed Cheema, Muhammad Jehanzeb Masud Siddiqui, Salman Aeman, Hafsa Zafar, Haseeb Bodla, Habibullah Ashraf, Muhammad sustainability groundwater water governance management information systems case studies Pakistan is facing an escalating water crisis, intensified by climate change impacts over the past two decades. Limited freshwater resources and rising competition among agricultural, domestic, and industrial users have worsened water scarcity. Punjab—Pakistan’s agricultural hub—is experiencing a severe groundwater crisis, marked by rapid depletion (e.g., 6.89 ft/year in Depalpur) and contamination (e.g., arsenic >171.8 µg/L in Renala Khurd), threatening water security for 120 million people. This study assesses the transformative role of the Groundwater Management Information System (GMIS), developed under the Water Resource Accountability in Pakistan (WRAP) Programme. It examines GMIS’s institutional, technical, and policy linkages. Backed by the Punjab Water Act 2019, GMIS enables bodies like the Punjab Water Resources Commission to enforce extraction limits (e.g., 300–400 ft drilling bans) and prioritize domestic use in contamination zones. GMIS operationalizes national and provincial policies, including the National Water Policy 2018, through integrated dashboards supporting conjunctive water management and climate-resilient solutions, such as solar-powered tubewells. Hydrogeological zoning using CTD divers and GIS mapping reveals aquifer-level variations. Targeted solutions—like Managed Aquifer Recharge and arsenic filtration—are tailored to local needs. To support adaptive planning under climate stress, a MODFLOW-based model simulates aquifer responses to recharge loss, over-extraction, and policy interventions. Scenario-based modeling helps identify vulnerable zones, test seasonal caps, and optimize recharge strategies. Persistent challenges include staffing shortages, outdated IT infrastructure, and weak licensing enforcement. The study recommends modernizing data systems, expanding monitoring in underserved areas, and adopting participatory models for stakeholder engagement. GMIS offers a scalable framework for sustainable groundwater governance, underscoring the need for integrated, climate-smart water management. 2025-12-18 2026-01-20T09:56:49Z 2026-01-20T09:56:49Z Abstract https://hdl.handle.net/10568/180200 en Open Access Ullah, K.; Hafeez, M.; Iqbal, N.; Cheema, M. J.; Siddiqui, S.; Aeman, H.; Zafar, H.; Bodla, H.; Ashraf, M. 2025. Enhancing Sustainable Groundwater Governance through the Groundwater Management Information System (GMIS): A Case Study of Punjab, Pakistan [Abstract only]. Paper presented at the American Geophysical Union Fall (AGU25) Conference 2025: Where Science Connects Us. New Orleans, USA. 14-19 December 2025.
spellingShingle sustainability
groundwater
water governance
management information systems
case studies
Ullah, Muhammad Kaleem
Hafeez, Mohsin
Iqbal, Naveed
Cheema, Muhammad Jehanzeb Masud
Siddiqui, Salman
Aeman, Hafsa
Zafar, Haseeb
Bodla, Habibullah
Ashraf, Muhammad
Enhancing Sustainable Groundwater Governance through the Groundwater Management Information System (GMIS): A Case Study of Punjab, Pakistan
title Enhancing Sustainable Groundwater Governance through the Groundwater Management Information System (GMIS): A Case Study of Punjab, Pakistan
title_full Enhancing Sustainable Groundwater Governance through the Groundwater Management Information System (GMIS): A Case Study of Punjab, Pakistan
title_fullStr Enhancing Sustainable Groundwater Governance through the Groundwater Management Information System (GMIS): A Case Study of Punjab, Pakistan
title_full_unstemmed Enhancing Sustainable Groundwater Governance through the Groundwater Management Information System (GMIS): A Case Study of Punjab, Pakistan
title_short Enhancing Sustainable Groundwater Governance through the Groundwater Management Information System (GMIS): A Case Study of Punjab, Pakistan
title_sort enhancing sustainable groundwater governance through the groundwater management information system gmis a case study of punjab pakistan
topic sustainability
groundwater
water governance
management information systems
case studies
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/180200
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