Integrated multi-parameter approach for delineating groundwater potential zones in a crystalline aquifer of southern Ind
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Integrated multi-parameter approach for delineating groundwater potential zones in a crystalline aquifer of southern India Mehnaz Rashid 1,2 & Min-Hui Lo 1 & Shakeel Ahmed 2
Received: 29 July 2017 / Accepted: 5 November 2017 # Saudi Society for Geosciences 2017
Abstract Groundwater resources in the semi-arid regions of southern India are under immense pressure due to large-scale groundwater abstraction vis-à-vis meager rainfall recharge. Therefore, understanding and evaluating the spatial distribution of groundwater is essential for viable utilization of the resource. Here, we assess groundwater potential at the watershed scale, in a semi-arid environment with crystalline aquifer system without a perennial surface water source using remote sensing, geophysical, and GIS-based integrated multi-parameter approach. GIS-based weighed overlay analysis is performed with input parameters, viz., geology, geomorphology, lineament density, land use, soil, drainage density, slope, and aquifer thickness. The watershed is categorized into four zones, namely, Bvery good^ (GWP4), Bgood^ (GWP3), Bmoderate^ (GWP2), and Blow^ (GWP1) in terms of groundwater potential. Overall, ~ 70% of the study area falls under moderate to low groundwater potential, indicating a serious threat to the future availability of the resource. Therefore, serious measures are required for maintaining aquifer resilience in this over-exploited aquifer (e.g., restricting groundwater withdrawal from GWP1 and GWP2 zones). Further, as the aquifer is under tremendous anthropogenic pressure, rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge during monsoon are advocated for sustainable aquifer management. Due to the direct dependence of crop production vis-à-vis farmer economy on
* Mehnaz Rashid [email protected]
1
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
2
CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, India
groundwater, this study is an important step towards sustainable groundwater management and can be applied in diverse hydrological terrains. Keywords Remote sensing . GIS . Semi-arid . Groundwater potential zones . Crystalline aquifer . South India
Introduction Dwindling groundwater resources pose a serious threat to the livelihood of millions of people globally and in India particularly. With a population of over one billion, India leads the global groundwater consumption, making groundwater vulnerable to depletion (Gilbert 2012). In India, groundwater supplies 63% of irrigation water, threatening the future sustainable water supply from this source. Since the onset of the green revolution in the 1970s, India has extensively exploited groundwater resources for economic development and food production resulting in negative impacts on groundwater resources (Shah 2012). Indian states like Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Gujrat, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu are exploiting groundwater extensively for irrigation and thus are extremely vulnerable to water crises (Rodell et al. 2009; Gilbert 2012; Shah 20
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