Delineation of groundwater potential zones in Samoda watershed, Chhattisgarh India, using Remote Sensing and GIS techniques

Abstract The availability of resources and its demand made people select suitable places for the population’s growth. Rapid growth in population and urbanization lead to exploitation of the groundwater and its quantity. The Samoda watershed in the Durg District of Chhattisgarh state is also a growing urban area. It is essential to consider the existing groundwater scenario of the city and industrial area of Samoda watershed for the safe consumption, management, and also need to identify the groundwater prospect zones for further groundwater exploration. This can be easily done cost-effectively with the help of remote sensing and Geographical Information system (GIS) by integrating the different factors that support groundwater availability. This study carried out by the integration of data sets and maps such as satellite imagery, drainage, groundwater level, rainfall, land use land cover, slope, and existing maps of as geology, soil type, for the delineation of the groundwater prospect zone by the application of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) Multi-Criteria Decision Making method. The groundwater potential zones that are delineated from integrating each factor are categorized into five different zones: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high.</jats:p

An integrated electrical resistivity and geochemical approach to delineate groundwater contamination due to seawater intrusion in the southern part of Mangalore, Karnataka, India

Abstract In this paper, integration of electrical resistivity survey and chemical analyses of groundwater has been executed in Mangalore’s southern part, Karnataka to delineate seawater intrusion phenomena. About 11 locations representing different hydrogeological and geomorphological setups were selected for the vertical electrical sounding (VES) to identify the subsurface formations and the extent of seawater intrusion. With the VES, the contaminated groundwater zones and the depth to fresh and saline water interface have been demarcated. Overall, 59 groundwater samples were subjected to various geochemical analysis viz; pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, total hardness, alkalinity, calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), chloride (Cl−), sodium (Na2+), potassium (K+)and sulfate (SO4 2-) to understand the nature of salinity in the aquifer. The geochemical analyses show that good groundwater conditions characterize the study area except for the southern part. The southern part is under the moderate to high salinity hazard risk, possibly due to its proximity to the sea and hydraulic connection with the seawater through the tidal creek. Two among the VES locations situated in this region show a saline water trend towards the bottom, and in the rest of the VES locations, a freshwater trend is encountered towards the depth.</jats:p

Monitoring the Land Surface and water bodies temperature and its impact on surface water turbidity in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract Land use land cover change is the process taking place in different parts of the country throughout the world and is adversely affecting the environment and will continue to affect both directly and indirectly. It has an impact on the water resource in a negative way. Rapid urban growth as a major cause of land-use change is one of the biggest reasons for the rise in surface temperature, and LULC change is one of the major causes of concern throughout the world. In developing countries like India, rapid urbanization is greatly influencing surface temperature and water resources. Surface water bodies are greatly affected by the rapid urban growth, which is taking place in almost all parts throughout the country, especially in the central part of India which is having plain areas. Many studies have been conducted by using the thermal data in integration with the Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques for estimation of Land Surface Temperature(LST), and based on those studies, it can be concluded that changing land use has its direct impact on surface temperature as with increasing urbanization rise in LST has been observed. Therefore, the present study has been done to estimate the impacts of changing LULC on surface temperature and turbidity in surface water using the satellite-derived thermal data, and based on results obtained it can be concluded that areas covered with the settlement, open or barren land have a relatively higher temperature than those of the areas which have plants, and vegetation on and nearby it, also waterbodies with turbid areas are showing relatively higher temperature than that of clear surface water.</jats:p

Identification of rainwater harvesting sites using SCS-CN methodology, remote sensing and Geographical Information System techniques

This study presents a method to identify potential sites for soil and water conservation techniques for the demarcation of suitable sites for artificial recharge of groundwater aquifers, in the study area. The run-off derived by the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number method is a function of run-off potential which can be expressed in terms of run-off coefficient. The augmentation of water resource is proposed by the construction of rainwater harvesting structures like check dam, percolation pond, farm pond and gully check dam. The site suitability for different water harvesting structures is determined by considering spatially varying parameters like slope, infiltration, run-off potential, landuse/land cover, stream order, soil texture, land capability class, hydrological soil group and micro-watershed area. The determined suitable site has been validated with existing recharge structures of the study area. Accuracy assessment of the suitable sites for recharge structures potential maps of the Bindra watershed is 82.60%

Ganga River: A Paradox of Purity and Pollution in India due to Unethical Practice

Abstract In India, the river Ganga is believed as a goddess, and people worship it. Despite all the respect for the river, the river’s condition is worsening, and we Indians are unable to maintain the purity of the river. The Ganga is a river of faith, devotion, and worship. Indians accept its water as “holy,” which is known for its “curative” properties. The river is not limited to these beliefs but is also a significant water source, working as the life-supporting system for Indians since ancient times. The Ganga river and its tributaries come from cold, Himalayan-glacier-fed springs, which are pure and unpolluted. But when the river flows downgradient, it meets the highly populated cities before merging into the Bay of Bengal. From its origin to its fall, its water changes from crystal clear to trash-and sewage-infested sludge. Thousands of years passed since the river Ganga, and its tributaries provide substantial, divine, and cultural nourishment to millions of people living in the basin. Nowadays, with the increasing urbanization, the Ganges basin sustains more than 40 percent of the population. Due to the significant contribution of the growing population and rapid industrialization along its banks, river Ganga has reached an alarming pollution level.</jats:p