Effects of Eucalyptus Globulus on the Underground Water in Udigram, Swat, Pakistan

Abstract

The plantation of Eucalyptus in hilly areas is not encouraging insight because it vanishes more than 50 litersof groundwater per day into the atmosphere and is gradually more dangerous to the water table and rock reservoirs. Therate of water evaporated by eucalyptus is higher than compared to the incoming showers in the area.This imbalance inthe water cycle caused changes in the water table as well as the flow of water from the springs.On the other hand, itswood is of poor quality and having low market demand as well as domestic use.The precipitation shows -2 inches (-25.8 millimeters) decline per year in the winter season between 1995 and 2014, while the ratio of increase is 1.24inches (31.5 millimeters) in the summer months. Generally,the major share of annual precipitation was from the winterseason before 1995, but onward, it is in summer and the area dropped from humid to sub-humid climate.This seasonalfluctuation of rainfall and dryness of rock reservoirs has not only decreased the water table, but also caused changes inthe flow of water from the springs and rivers. The dryness of the wells after reduction in precipitation, generally leadsto the digging and intensive use of tube wells in the area. The study reveals that the dryness in spring has an aftereffecttotally of cultivation of Eucalyptus on the Raja Gira hill slopes and required mitigation to overcome the issue of wateravailability for the locals.