Integrated Approach for Identifying Suitable Sites for Rainwater Harvesting Structures for Groundwater Augmentation in Basaltic Terrain Ratnakar Dhakate & V. V. S. GurunadhaRao & B. Anandagajapathi Raju & J. Mahesh & S. T. Mallikharjuna Rao & S. Sankaran Received: 16 December 2011 / Accepted: 10 December 2012 # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2012 Abstract Integrated hydrological, geophysical and groundwater modeling studies has been carried out for identification of suitable sites for rainwater harvesting structures for ground- water augmentation in RRCAT Campus, Indore, M.P. Based on these studies ten check dams, two contour bunds and one earthen bund were recommended on the existing stream channels and in valley fills respectively. Likely water impoundment on these structures was calculated keeping in view the length and width of stream channels. Based on these study a groundwater flow model using MODFLOW were carried out keeping in view the geologic and hydrologic conditions of the area. The net rechargeable impounded rain water from these structures to groundwater regime was calculated for monsoon seasons which varied from 20 % to 48 % and net enhancement of groundwater recharge from all structures would be around 0.11 mcm/year and the water level in the existing well would rise by 2–3 m above its present level for future Groundwater augmentation. Keywords Recharge . Groundwater . Augmentation and structures 1 Introduction Rain water harvesting gained importance due to various problems like when surface water is inadequate to meet the demand and to depend on groundwater. Due to rapid growth in urbanization, infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has decreased drastically due to land use changes and recharging potential to groundwater has diminished. Over exploitation of groundwater resource collectively resulted in decline in water levels in most part of the country. The climatic conditions of the world were changing rapidly due to global warming. This will cause monsoon vagaries in many part of the world as well in Indian continent. During monsoon vagaries rainwater harvesting will be the ultimate choice Water Resour Manage DOI 10.1007/s11269-012-0238-3 R. Dhakate (*) : V. V. S. G. Rao : B. A. Raju : J. Mahesh : S. T. M. Rao : S. Sankaran CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research), Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500606 A.P., India e-mail: dhakate.ratnakar@gmail.com