Distribution and Management of Water Resources in Haryana: A Geographical Study

Abstract

Water is the most critical natural resource governing the agricultural economy, settlement pattern, and ecological balance of Haryana, a predominantly agrarian state located in the semi-arid to sub-humid climatic zone of north-western India. The state's water resources comprise surface water carried by the Yamuna and Ghaggar rivers and an extensive network of canals, together with groundwater accessed through tube wells and dug wells. This paper undertakes a geographical examination of the spatial distribution, availability, and utilisation pattern of water resources across the districts of Haryana, and critically evaluates the institutional and technical measures adopted for their management. The study highlights a pronounced regional imbalance: canal-irrigated north-eastern districts such as Karnal, Kurukshetra, and Yamunanagar face waterlogging and salinity, whereas groundwater-dependent south-western and Aravalli-fringe districts such as Mahendragarh, Bhiwani, Gurugram, and Charkhi Dadri are experiencing rapid aquifer depletion, with water tables falling below forty metres in several blocks. The paper further reviews management interventions, including canal lining, micro-irrigation promotion, the Atal Bhujal Yojana, and water-use regulation, and argues for an integrated, basin- and block-level approach to water governance that reconciles agricultural demand with long-term sustainability.