| Abstract: |
Groundwater is the main source of drinking, domestic and irrigation water throughout the Indo-Gangetic Plain, yet the speed of urbanization and climate variability are collaborating to hasten the rate of its disappearance. The analysis of the present research evaluates the overall impact of climate change and anthropogenic stress on groundwater resources in the city of Meerut, and the rural hinterland of the city (Western Uttar Pradesh). Its aims were to measure urban-rural disparities of groundwater-level decline and to assess rain and temperature changes as climate factors that cause depletion. The design used was mixed descriptive-analytical and is based on secondary data sources such as the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), India Meteorological Department (IMD), GRACE satellite reanalyses, and peer-reviewed published literature on the topic of study between 2003 and 2025. Linear regression and comparative tabulation were used to examine the water-level trends, rainfall anomalies, and stage-of-extraction ratios. Findings indicate that the urban Meerut has experienced a depletion of groundwater-storage of -2.76 +-0.87 cm/year (GRACE), and water-table decreases of 0.24-0.33 m/year, and rural areas have experienced a lesser decrease or even localised recharge as a result of canal irrigation return flows. The annual monsoon rain had a decreasing pattern, and more erratic and intense events. The authors conclude that climate change increases the stress on urban groundwater, and integrated recharge planning and demand-side control are needed. |
