Water table depth in Bikaner
Most of the 49 wells the Central Ground Water Board measured in Bikaner read 20–40 m. 63% were deeper than 20 m, beyond the reach of hand pumps and shallow borewells.
How deep the water is in Bikaner's wells
Monitoring wells in each depth band, measured before the 2018 monsoon, when the water table is at its lowest.
- 0–2 m0% of wells0
- 2–5 m0% of wells0
- 5–10 m6% of wells3
- 10–20 m31% of wells15
- 20–40 m27% of wells13
- over 40 m37% of wells18
Is groundwater in Bikaner running out?
Bikaner pumps out 141% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year (2025, Central Ground Water Board). More is pumped out than rain puts back, so the water table keeps falling. Recharging rain from roofs and open ground is the way to lift the water table back up.
Frequently asked questions
What is the water table depth in Bikaner?
In CGWB's pre-monsoon 2018 readings, groundwater in Bikaner stood 5.3 m to 114 m below ground (17 to 374 ft) across 49 monitoring wells. Most of them read 20–40 m.
How deep is a borewell in Bikaner?
A borewell has to reach well below the water level, and in summer the level drops further, so in Bikaner it has to go past 114 m (374 ft) where wells read deepest. The exact depth depends on where the water-bearing rock or sand layer is, which a local hydrogeologist or driller can tell from nearby bores.
Is the water table falling in Bikaner?
Bikaner pumps out 141% of the groundwater that can safely be taken out each year (2025), rated over-exploited. Pumping more than rain puts back means the water table keeps falling. That is 30 points lower than in 2017.
How deep should a rainwater recharge bore be in Bikaner?
About 120 ft is typical where most wells read 20–40 m, deep enough to pass the clay layers that block water and reach sand or fractured rock that carries it down to the water table. The final depth is set on site from the soil seen while drilling.
Source: District-wise Depth to Water Level and Distribution of Percentage of Wells for the Period of Premonsoon, 2018 (one PDF per State/UT), Central Ground Water Board. Levels vary between neighbourhoods and fall further in a dry year, so a reading near you can differ.