World Meteorological Organization finds groundwater below normal across northwestern India
northwestern India is facing a serious groundwater shortage, with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) finding that persistent and widespread below-normal to much-below-normal groundwater levels across northwestern India between 2022 and 2025.
The region's water reserves are under persistent stress, which is a big deal since so many people rely on groundwater for farming and daily life, especially when rain is unpredictable.
Groundwater supplies 62% of India's irrigation
Groundwater is not just important here: it supplies about 62% of all irrigation across India and keeps taps running in cities and villages alike.
But a recent report found that 736 of 6,553 groundwater assessment units were over-exploited.
The WMO says this is not just an Indian problem; terrestrial water storage has been dropping since around 2014-16, making smart water use more important than ever.