About Us on Activities of Ground Water Department,
Telangana State.

The Department was established in 1971 (in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh) to monitor Groundwater levels, explore and exploit the Groundwater resources in the state and the department is a multi-disciplinary organization consisting of Hydrogeology, Geophysics,Hydrology engaged in developmental and Management of Ground Water resource in the State. The main activities of the Department are read more

  1. Selection of feasible groundwater bore well sites
  2. Groundwater Level Monitoring
  3. Drilling of Bore for the benefit of SC & ST community
  4. Groundwater Quality Monitoring
  5. Periodic Groundwater Resource Estimation
  6. Ground Water Extraction charges as per GO M.S. 15 Dt 27.05.2023 to regulate and control ground water extraction in the state

1. Groundwater Investigations

  1. Scheduled Caste Special Development Fund (SCDF) programme: District Scheduled Cast Development corporation will send proposals for conducting survey and drilling the bore wells to cater the irrigation facilities to farmining community. under SCSDFunds
  2. Scheduled Tribe Special Development Fund (STDF) programme: : Tribal Welfare Officers/Project Officer, Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDA) will send proposals for conducting survey and drilling the bore wells to cater the irrigation facilities to farmining community. under STSDFunds and
  3. Telangana State Water, Land, Trees (TSWALTA) Act: The Department has been taken up ground water investigations foragricultural , domestic and drinking water bore wells duly fallowing WALTA 2002 Act and necessary proposals received from the Tashildar and Mandal Walta Authority, as per WALTA 197 Private Rigs registered.
  4. Environmental clearance for Sand Mining : As per the District level committee the surveys will be carried out by the departmentfallowing the WALTA guidelines
  5. Drinking Water Purpose: The Tashildar (Mandal Walta Authority) submits proposal for drinking water and Domestic bore wells based on technical feasibility the bore well sites are recomonded so fa 1719 sites recommended in Telangana State
  6. Telangana State Ground Water Extraction Rules - 2023 (G.O MS. No. 15, Dt.27.05.2023).: The Ground water department has implemented the Ground Water Extraction rules to regulate and control ground water extraction on Residential Apartments for drinking and domestic use, infrastructure projects, Industries/MSME, packaged drinking water units, bulk water suppliers and mining projects under provisions of rule 20 and 26 of Telangana State Water, Land and Trees Rules, 2004 of TGWALTA Act, 2002 (Act No.10 of 2002). During the year 2023-24.
  7. Investigation for selection of Artificial Recharge Structures : The necessary clearences for Check Dams Perculation Tanks are issued for project implemented through NABARD, Irrigation Divisions and in Rural area Artificial Recharge structure/shafts proposal are forwarded by District Rural Development Department forgroundwater clearence.

2.Monitoring of Ground Water Levels :

Monthly Ground Water levels are monitored through 2059observation well and ground water scenario report is being prepared and furnished to the Planners at State Level, similarly the District Offices The data analysis reveals that the Improvement in groundwater level in Telangana State is 43 % from 2014-15 to 2023-24i.e

3. Command area Studies:

The department monitoring the status of Groundwater levels in major command area (i.e., Sriram Sagar Project (SRSP), Nagarjuna Sagar Left Canal (NSLC), etc.) through established 921 observation wells and demarcation of water logging and prone to water logging conditions in the command through the Monthly/Quarterly progress reports in respective of major command areas and being submitted to Command Area Authorities, which will enable the Engineers/Planners for Conjunctive Use Planning and promising supplies to tail end users as a remedial measures to avoid water logging conditions.

4. Drilling:

Under SCSDF and STSDF state plan budget the department takeups drilling of bore wells to createdassued irrigation through ground water for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe farming community sofar3289 bore wells drilled by department.

5. Water Quality Laboratories and their Activities:

The department consisists of chemical quality laboratory at Hyderabad (Level +II) and two level II Labs in Karimnagar and Khammam (Newly established) in this laboratory 14 parameters like: PH, Electrical Conductivity, TDS, Na, K, Ca, Mg, HCO3-, CO32-, Cl-, TH, SO42-, F-, SAR, RSC analysed and submitted to District and State.

6. Groundwater Resource Estimation(GEC):

The Department periodically estimates the groundwater resources in consultation with CGWB and latest study reveals total annual extractable groundwater resource is 20920 million cubic meter (mcm) and groundwater extraction for all uses is 8085 MCM. Groundwater extraction reduced from 50% to 39 % and now 89% of mandals from the state falls under safe category

S. No Groundwater Assessment Year Groundwater Resources (Ha. m) Assessment unit (Watershed) Watershed Category Assessment unit (Mandal) Mandal Category No. of Over Exploited villages proposed for Notification
Availability Utilization Stage of Development (%) Over Exploited Critical Semi-Critical Safe Over Exploited Critical Semi-Critical Safe
5 2012-13 1339000 776600 58 484 28 29 92 335 443 45 12 73 313 1358
6 2016-17 1236305 809345 65 502 29 59 165 249 584 70 67 169 278 1746
7 2019-20 1512859 757590 50 502 4 21 129 348 589 25 22 167 375 721
8 2021-22 1925075 800906 42 502 4 5 63 430 594 13 7 80 494 308
9 2022-23 2092092 808500.6 39 502 3 4 38 457 612 11 10 61 530 240

7. NATIONAL HYDROLOGY PROJECT (NHP - WORLD BANK FUNDED)

Department of Water Resources (DoWR), Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India (GOI) has introduced National Hydrology Project (NHP) with the support of World Bank as Central Sector Scheme implementing the scheme in the State since FY 2016-17 and aimed at improve the ground water monitoring network, water quality and strenghthen the capacity for better grond water management benifited the farming community Urban water users, and nongovernmental organizations civil society etc.,

Brief about Project
Project Period 2016-17 to 2023-24 (8 years) extended up to March, 2025(maintenance support Sept 2025).
Funding Funds provided under Central Sector Scheme (CSS)
Project Cost Rs.7265.00 lakhs
Budget and Expenditure as on 30th August 2024 Budget Released : Rs.5378.67 Lakhs
Expenditure incurred: Rs.5373.31 Lakhs (100 %)
State Project Coordinator Secretary to Govt,
(I & CAD), Govt of Telangana State
State Project Formulation & Monitoring Officer Engineer in Chief(H&I),
I&CAD Deptt., Govt. of Telangana
State Nodal Officer GW Director, GWD, Telangana

OVERVIEW OF PROJECT COMPONENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Component Activity Physical Achievements
A. Water Resources Monitoring System
  • Optimization of existing network stations with Real Time data acquisition system.
  • Protection works and rejuvenation works for existing Projects.
  • Upgradation of Water Quality Labs to improve the Quality analysis.
  • Upgradation of IT and field equipment at data centres.
  • Strengthening data centres.
  • Improvement to the GW monitoring network in 33 nos GW assessment unit (monitoring density of wells increased from 109 km²/well to 61 km²/well)
  • Protection/flushing works to GW monitoring stations.
  • Upgraded lab equipment.
  • State & District Data Centres are upgraded for data acquisition.
  • Field Equipment procured GW application softwares purchased.
  • Upgradation of Data Centre is under process.
B. Water Resources Information System
  • State Data Information System, Creation of State WRIS and integrate with NWIC Website development & Mobile applications.
  • Strengthening of State Gw Resources Information System & GWD website is under process.
  • Topographical sheets for field studies procured (498 nos)
C. Water Resources Operation and Planning
  • Purpose Driven Studies (PDS)
  • Three Purpose Driven Studies and two inhouse studies taken up
D. Institutional Capacity Building
  • Institutional Modernization Support. To disseminate the Resource information effectively among user community / Groups through Awareness raising Activity.
  • Trainings, Study tours and workshops for skill and knowledge development.
  • Technical, Financial support and Outsource Staff support for Hydrological & Inhouse Systems (HIS) and Water Quality Labs.
  • Operation & Maintenance Support for the data collection, analysis and dissemination
  • Strengthened of technical skills of the department staff by way of inhouse, national and international trainings.
  • Created awareness raising programs to water users in particular farming community.
  • Conducted workshops on water conservation management.
  • Institutional maintenance support provided