Estimating Time for Formation of Recharge Mound and Rate of Recharge from Percolation Tank from Mathematical Model ANJU BALA 1* , MUKESH KUMAR 2 , KISHAN SINGH RAWAT 3 AND DALIP SINGH TANEJA 4 1 Department of Civil Engineering, WCTM, Gurgaon, Haryana 2 School of Agriculture, IGNOU, New Delhi 3 Division of Agricultural Physics, IARI, New Delhi 4 RIMT-Maharaja Aggarasen College, Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab ABSTRACT The withdrawal of groundwater has been far in excess of natural recharge, which has led to the progressive decline of water table. An effective way of bridging the gap is artificial groundwater recharge. Artificial recharge provides groundwater users an opportunity to increase the amount of water available during periods of high demand-typically summer months. Prior to artificial recharge through percolation tank if we know that how much time will be taken by recharge mound to develop, it will save cost and energy. It can be done by use of mathematical model from which time taken for development of mound can be calculated. Thus a mathematical model was developed at Department of soil and water engineering, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India, to predict time taken for formation of recharge mound due to recharge through percolation tank and its validation. Various parameters required to calibrate and validate this model were measured by conducting an experiment. There was not much difference found between observed and calculated time for development of recharge mound. The mathematical model, therefore, could be successfully used to predict the time taken for formation of recharge mound due to recharge through percolation tank. Key words: withdrawal and natural recharge is augmentation of groundwater by artificial recharge. Out of various methods, recharge by percolation tank is an effective method. As water percolates, the recharge mound formed below the percolation tank. Prior to artificial recharge through percolation tank if we know that how much time will be taken by recharge mound to develop, it will save cost and energy. It can be done by use of mathematical model from which time taken for development of mound can be calculated *Corresponding author, Email: anjukathuria@yahoo.com Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 1-12 (2012) Journal of Agricultural Physics ISSN 0973-032X http://www.agrophysics.in Introduction There has been over exploitation of groundwater in the state of Punjab due to increase in cropping intensity as well as growing of high water consuming crop such as rice. The annual withdrawal of groundwater has been far in excess of annual natural recharge, which has led to the progressive decline of water table. An effective way of bridging the gap between groundwater Research Article