Changes in groundwater-surface water interactions following two centuries of irrigation practices and groundwater use in the Upper Ganges-Yamuna interfluve, North India

van Broekhoven, Frank J. G.; Dekker, Stefan C.; Griffioen, Jasper; Bhagwat, Anjali; Schot, Paul P.

doi:10.5194/hess-30-6315-2026

Articles | Volume 30, issue 20

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-6315-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-6315-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 30, issue 20

Research article

|

15 Oct 2026

Research article |

| 15 Oct 2026

Changes in groundwater-surface water interactions following two centuries of irrigation practices and groundwater use in the Upper Ganges-Yamuna interfluve, North India

Frank J. G. van Broekhoven, Stefan C. Dekker, Jasper Griffioen, Anjali Bhagwat, and Paul P. Schot

Data sets

Data and Code: Changes in groundwater-surface water interactions following two centuries of irrigation practices and groundwater use in the Upper Ganges-Yamuna interfluve, North India. Frank J. G. van Broekhoven https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19131621

Model code and software

Data and Code: Changes in groundwater-surface water interactions following two centuries of irrigation practices and groundwater use in the Upper Ganges-Yamuna interfluve, North India. Frank J. G. van Broekhoven https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19131621

Short summary

Model simulations show how North India’s water system changed over the past two centuries. From 1830, irrigation canals increased recharge while groundwater flows to rivers and streams. After 1970, groundwater pumping surged, lowering groundwater tables and reducing flows to surface waters. Since 2000, some local rivers have likely switched to lose water to the groundwater. This may have implications for river ecosystems and groundwater quality, especially where rivers are polluted.