Increase in cropland area and cropping intensity due to surge in population has resulted in significant increase in groundwater extraction to supplement canal water for irrigation in Pakistan. As the cropping intensity grew from 102.8% in 1960 to 172% in early 2010 in certain areas in Punjab, replenishment of groundwater has been challenged. This resulted Lower Bari Doab Canal (LBDC) command area in Punjab to experience groundwater depletion in the last two decades. Literature reports the rate of depletion ranging from 0.259 cm to 0.594 cm per year beyond 1990 in the observation wells in the canal command area. Therefore, this study analyses the correlation between population growth, crop coverage, and water table depletion rate in the three districts irrigated by LBDC. This study uses publicly available yearly statistical data by the Bureau of Statistics, Pakistan. The datasets include population count and area irrigated under four dominant crops (wheat, rice, cotton and sugarcane) by districts from 1990 to 2010. In addition to an ever growing population, a non-parametric Mann-Kendall test revealed an increasing trend in the cultivation of rice for the time period. The correlation test is performed in a statistical analysis software R. Out of the 5 observation wells used in this study, 3 of them were located in Khanewal district, 2 in Okara district, and 1 in Sahiwal district. The results show that the depletion rate can be significantly explained by the growth of population and crop area. This emphasizes the need for artificial recharge of groundwater as well as restriction in the abstraction of water.

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Increase in cropland area and cropping intensity due to surge in population has resulted in significant increase in groundwater extraction to supplement canal water for irrigation in Pakistan. As the cropping intensity grew from 102.8% in 1960 to 172% in early 2010 in certain areas in Punjab, replenishment of groundwater has been challenged. This resulted Lower Bari Doab Canal (LBDC) command area in Punjab to experience groundwater depletion in the last two decades. Literature reports the rate of depletion ranging from 0.259 cm to 0.594 cm per year beyond 1990 in the observation wells in the canal command area. Therefore, this study analyses the correlation between population growth, crop coverage, and water table depletion rate in the three districts irrigated by LBDC. This study uses publicly available yearly statistical data by the Bureau of Statistics, Pakistan. The datasets include population count and area irrigated under four dominant crops (wheat, rice, cotton and sugarcane) by districts from 1990 to 2010. In addition to an ever growing population, a non-parametric Mann-Kendall test revealed an increasing trend in the cultivation of rice for the time period. The correlation test is performed in a statistical analysis software R. Out of the 5 observation wells used in this study, 3 of them were located in Khanewal district, 2 in Okara district, and 1 in Sahiwal district. The results show that the depletion rate can be significantly explained by the growth of population and crop area. This emphasizes the need for artificial recharge of groundwater as well as restriction in the abstraction of water.

**[Access the Conference Proceedings Paper on ASCE Library](https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784483466.080)**

Assessing the Relationship Between the Growth of Population and Crop Area With Depletion of Groundwater in Lower Bari Doab Canal

Created in 1999, the Environmental & Water Resources Institute (EWRI) is the recognized leader within ASCE for the integration of technical expertise and public policy in the planning, design, construction, and operation of environmentally sound and sustainable infrastructure impacting air, land and water resources.

[Paper Proceedings](https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784483466)

Conference DOI: https://doi.org/10.26226/m.6329c39b68fb0e00131f77d2