Mapping the optimization of groundwater abstraction research: A bibliometric review in the context of South Asian region

Water scarcity has increased dramatically in many parts of the world and has become a major environmental problem globally in recent years. To address this challenge, researchers are continuously exploring and investigating different water sources and the relevant abstraction method. South Asian countries are not an exception in this regard. Specifically, how optimization has been done during the water abstraction process is becoming a key research agenda in South Asian region. This study attempts to systematically review the optimization of groundwater abstraction research in the South Asian region. First, bibliometric analysis has been performed to quantitatively assess the current research trends in the optimization of groundwater abstraction research. Second, a qualitative analysis has been done to get more insights into the different abstraction methods and simulation models used in groundwater abstraction research. This study has addressed the gap and explored research streams through scientific and conceptual mapping of the optimization of groundwater abstraction research. As revealed, the year 2020 is the most productive in groundwater abstraction research. Indian Institute of Technology and India were found to be the most impactful institution and countries in this field. The most studied area in groundwater abstraction research was found to be sustainable groundwater management, the geochemical process of controlling groundwater evolution, the Spatio-temporal variability of groundwater and the supply-demand of water during dry seasons. As revealed, statistical and mathematical modelling analysis is the most used approach in these studies. The findings of this study suggested that the water scarcity problem can be fixed by improving the design and operational techniques of the groundwater abstraction method and by using the different water sources collectively. This study further provides future directions and opportunities for research in the field of the groundwater abstraction process.