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<p>The hilly regions of Uttarakhand, located in the central Himalayas, are endowed with abundant surface, subsurface, and spring water resources. Despite this hydrological wealth, the state continues to experience acute water scarcity and declining water quality, particularly in remote rural areas. This review synthesizes existing literature, monitoring data from agencies such as the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board and the India Meteorological Department, and recent field-based assessments to evaluate the current status of groundwater, river water, and spring water quality across the Garhwal and Kumaon regions. The analysis highlights that most water sources exhibit high total dissolved solids (TDS &gt; 500&#xa0;mg L⁻¹) and hardness (Ca–Mg &gt; 300&#xa0;mg L⁻¹), with localized microbiological contamination linked to inadequate sanitation and tourism pressure. Natural factors such as mineral-rich geology and intense monsoonal runoff further influence the hydrochemical composition. A comparison with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS 10500:2012) and WHO limits reveals that many samples exceed permissible thresholds, necessitating urgent treatment and management interventions. The review identifies major research gaps, including insufficient long-term spring monitoring, a lack of seasonal variability data, and limited implementation of decentralized purification systems in hilly terrain. Finally, sustainable management strategies such as community-based spring rejuvenation, small-scale filtration technologies, and GIS-enabled water-quality mapping are discussed to support policy formulation for safe drinking water in Himalayan rural settlements.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

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Assessment of the status challenges and sustainable management of water resources in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月5日

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  • Paramjeet Singh Paliyal,
  • Nitin Kumar,
  • Tej Raj,
  • Surajit Mondal

摘要

The hilly regions of Uttarakhand, located in the central Himalayas, are endowed with abundant surface, subsurface, and spring water resources. Despite this hydrological wealth, the state continues to experience acute water scarcity and declining water quality, particularly in remote rural areas. This review synthesizes existing literature, monitoring data from agencies such as the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board and the India Meteorological Department, and recent field-based assessments to evaluate the current status of groundwater, river water, and spring water quality across the Garhwal and Kumaon regions. The analysis highlights that most water sources exhibit high total dissolved solids (TDS > 500 mg L⁻¹) and hardness (Ca–Mg > 300 mg L⁻¹), with localized microbiological contamination linked to inadequate sanitation and tourism pressure. Natural factors such as mineral-rich geology and intense monsoonal runoff further influence the hydrochemical composition. A comparison with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS 10500:2012) and WHO limits reveals that many samples exceed permissible thresholds, necessitating urgent treatment and management interventions. The review identifies major research gaps, including insufficient long-term spring monitoring, a lack of seasonal variability data, and limited implementation of decentralized purification systems in hilly terrain. Finally, sustainable management strategies such as community-based spring rejuvenation, small-scale filtration technologies, and GIS-enabled water-quality mapping are discussed to support policy formulation for safe drinking water in Himalayan rural settlements.

Graphical Abstract