Why Groundwater Protection Should Be a National Priority in Drought Strategies
A recent study in Nature Sustainability (2025) on the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna Delta found that unsustainable groundwater-fed irrigation during dry seasons reduces flood risks but increases surface freshwater scarcity and saltwater intrusion in coastal regions.
While heavy groundwater pumping supports dry-season agriculture and leads to higher aquifer recharge during monsoon seasons, this recharge is insufficient to offset depletion, creating a vicious cycle:
🔹 Groundwater depletion ➡️ reduced surface runoff ➡️ less surface water for farming ➡️ increased groundwater dependence.
💧 This means that although groundwater use may temporarily reduce flood risk, it undermines long-term water security and resilience to drought.
Key takeaways for drought management:
✅ Groundwater protection must be a clear priority in national drought strategies, rather than a resource to exhaust during crises.
✅ Integrated management of surface and groundwater resources is essential for resilience.
✅ Farmers need support to improve water-use efficiency and adopt practices that reduce dependency on excessive groundwater pumping.
✅ Expansion of agriculture in coastal deltas must consider sustainable recharge strategies to prevent seawater intrusion and further freshwater scarcity.
🌍 These findings are globally relevant, as human pressures and climate change increasingly threaten freshwater systems in coastal and deltaic regions.
✍️ How can countries balance food security with groundwater conservation in drought management plans? Let’s exchange experiences and lessons to strengthen our collective drought resilience.
