Predicting groundwater fluctuations in Badgaon of the Dharta watershed in India : a study of machine learning algorithms and hard rock watersheds

![CDATA[Groundwater is a vital and limited resource in many parts of the world. India relies on groundwater for 60% of its irrigation water for crops and 80% of its drinking water. Groundwater in India is mainly recharged during monsoon season, which lasts from June to September, with the northern parts receiving less rainfall than the southern parts. Many villages have resorted to drilling deeper to access more water, however, this often results in overuse of an aquifer and leads to a decreasing supply over time. Aquifers are layers of sub-surface permeable rock that can retain water, which can then be accessed using wells. These wells deplete the water level, also known as the water table, underground. Aquifers recharge naturally with precipitation over time, although, in many areas the pumping rate is greater than the rate of recharge. Satellite-based estimates observed a ~109km3 decrease in water supply from 2002 to 2008, indicative of unsustainable consumption (Rodell, Velicogna, & Famiglietti, 2009).]]