An aquifer refers to underground layers of permeable rock, sediment or soil that contain water. Aquifer can range from few square kilometers to thousands of square kilometers in size. Ground water is a huge reservoir of water beneath the underground layer of such rock fractures or unconsolidated materials connected with deep rivers.
Under normal circumstance water through natural percolation from surface, takes many years to reach the ground water level as beneath the surface there is impermeable layer of rocks which is very hard. Such water containment in sub surface area is useful for irrigation applications but not suitable for industrial, process or other domestic requirement as it has high content of dissolve solids.
Rain water when directed to a depth which is in confined zone beneath the earth through a recharge well is known as direct recharge. Recharge zone is much above the aquifer zone from where we normally extract water through a bore well. The Ground water level rises due to the intake of huge volume of fresh water (rain) through recharge well or dug well.
Even a small drop in average level of ground water in an aquifer can affect a large geographic are on the surface.
Indiscriminate use of ground water is fast turning this precious resource highly saline and dangerous for consumption. Rain water is a blissful source of fresh water; simple action of directing it to the ground water will raise its levels and quality too….!