Climate change profoundly impacts water resources across the Indian subcontinent, presenting a range of critical challenges that require urgent attention and strategic responses.

1. Pressures on Water Resources:
– Climate change exacerbates the existing strain on India’s water resources, affecting both current availability and future demand-supply dynamics.
– Decreased river flows and reduced runoff highlight these challenges, threatening water availability for agriculture and urban consumption.

2. Glaciers Melting:
– Rising temperatures accelerate the melting of Himalayan glaciers, essential for India’s major rivers, potentially disrupting long-term freshwater supply.
– Initial increases in river flows due to glacier melt are overshadowed by concerns over long-term water availability, impacting agricultural and urban water needs.

3. Challenges in Urban Water Management:
– Urban areas heavily reliant on surface water sources face escalating risks from diminished stream flows and reduced rainfall recharge, exacerbated by higher temperatures.
– Climate change compounds stress on urban water infrastructure, affecting supply systems, sewage networks, and stormwater drainage capacities.

4. Impact of Rising Sea Levels:
– Coastal plains experience altered patterns of monsoonal and annual runoff, with minimal changes in winter runoff.
– Projected sea level rise of 1 meter could inundate 1700 km² of agricultural land and affect 5763 km² along the coastline, posing risks to 7.1 million people.

5. Depletion of Groundwater Resources:
– Continued extraction of groundwater, worsened by climate change, threatens depletion of aquifers critical for agriculture and drinking water.
– Altered precipitation patterns and higher temperatures hinder groundwater recharge, intensifying stress on aquifers and threatening water security.

6. Vulnerability of Coastal Areas and Saltwater Intrusion:
– Rising sea levels increase the risk of saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers and river deltas, threatening freshwater sources.
– Coastal ecosystems and livelihoods dependent on marine and freshwater resources are particularly vulnerable, impacting biodiversity and human well-being.

7. Water Quality and Health Concerns:
– Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns can impact water quality, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases and affecting human health.
– Variations in water quality may require enhanced treatment processes and infrastructure to maintain safe drinking water standards.

In summary, addressing the intricate relationship between climate change and water resources in India necessitates coordinated global efforts and resilient strategies for sustainable water management. Immediate action is imperative to ensure water security for current and future generations amid these evolving environmental challenges.