Hydrogeological delineation of groundwater vulnerability to droughts in semi-arid areas of western Ahmednagar district

Groundwater, a renewable and finite natural resource, is a vital source of sustenance for humans and dif-ferent ecosystems in the semi-arid regions. Rapid population growth in the last three decades has causeda rise in water demand which has inadvertently posed a stress on its availability. Occurrence of ground-water in the Deccan Volcanic Province is governed by the subsurface hydrogeological heterogeneity ofbasaltic lava flows and by the presence of geological structures like dykes, sills and fractures that influ-ence spatial & vertical groundwater flow. The main objective of this paper is to map and assess areas thatare naturally most susceptible to groundwater scarcity and at risk of depletion due to over extraction. Thecurrent study involves a field hydrogeological mapping that was integrated with remote sensing and GISto delineate areas. This technique was based on using different thematic layers viz. lithology, slope, land-use and land cover, lineament, drainage, soil type, depth to groundwater and annual rainfall. Additionally,pumping tests were carried out to classify the study area into different hydrogeological typologies to helpdelineate communities that are most vulnerable to subsurface heterogeneity. This paper attempts tounderline the groundwater scarcity zones based on different influencing thematic layers and provide arobust methodology to prioritize areas vulnerable to groundwater unavailability, by categorizing the study area into different vulnerable class types - extreme, high, moderate and low

Vulnerability to groundwater drought in semi-arid areas of western Ahmednagar District, India

This work was carried out under the Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA), with financial support from the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DfID) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada.When groundwater storage capacities and water-flow potential is low, inconsistent and highly variable, and when these aquifer characteristics intersect with low levels of rainfall and unsustainable water-use patterns, they have the potential to severely cripple agrarian livelihoods and compromise people’s wellbeing. These hardships can be further aggravated by existing social vulnerabilities and inequities, such as those tied to gender, age, socio-economic status and caste. Making matters even worse are market price fluctuations, decreasing land holding sizes due to fragmentation of households, and the high dependence of farmers on loans to meet the increasing input costs of agriculture

Infusion phlebitis assessment method used in paediatric setting: a systematic review of literature

Phlebitis may localise to the insertion site or travel along the vein. The risk of phlebitis is higher in children as they have thin and weak blood vessels and move continuously due to the pain associated with insertion. Therefore, regular assessment of the risk of developing phlebitis is crucial. This review aimed to identify infusion phlebitis assessment tool used in the paediatric setting. Methods: Electronic databases used were Scopus, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. A total of ten studies which assess the development of infusion phlebitis on hospitalised children included in this reviewed. Study findings were discussed and concluded with a recommendation for clinical practice and future studies. Results: Phlebitis development rate was the primary outcome measures in ten studies. Of ten studies, six provided no actual definition of phlebitis. Eight reported phlebitis incidence and/or severity, eight used a scale and two used a definition alone in assessing the development of phlebitis. This review identified five different phlebitis assessment scales. Conclusion: Although there are applicable phlebitis scales can be used for paediatric setting, Limited studies have been conducted on infusion phlebitis assessment method in children. Therefore, it is suggested that more studies and vigorous test needed to identify applicable assessment tools in paediatric setting

Changing ecosystem services are increasing people's vulnerability in semi-arid regions : an ASSAR cross-regional insight

Adaptation at Scale in Semi-Arid Regions (ASSAR) researchers collaborated to understand the complex changes and patterns in semi-arid vegetation and socio-ecological systems. Ecosystems were mapped using a cross-regional coarse scale study, relying on climate data to capture global and regional trends. Finest spatial scale mapping relied on LANDSAT to show changes in land use and land cover. Details of observed changes are provided for Botswana, Namibia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Mali, Ghana, West Africa, and India. Links to referenced studies are embedded in the report. Ecosystem services need to be sustainably managed through regulatory measures.UK Government’s Department for International Development (DfID

Hydrogeological delineation of groundwater vulnerability to droughts in semi-arid areas of western Ahmednagar district

Groundwater, a renewable and finite natural resource, is a vital source of sustenance for humans and different ecosystems in the semi-arid regions. Rapid population growth in the last three decades has caused a rise in water demand which has inadvertently posed a stress on its availability. Occurrence of groundwater in the Deccan Volcanic Province is governed by the subsurface hydrogeological heterogeneity of basaltic lava flows and by the presence of geological structures like dykes, sills and fractures that influence spatial & vertical groundwater flow. The main objective of this paper is to map and assess areas that are naturally most susceptible to groundwater scarcity and at risk of depletion due to over extraction. The current study involves a field hydrogeological mapping that was integrated with remote sensing and GIS to delineate areas. This technique was based on using different thematic layers viz. lithology, slope, land-use and land cover, lineament, drainage, soil type, depth to groundwater and annual rainfall. Additionally, pumping tests were carried out to classify the study area into different hydrogeological typologies to help delineate communities that are most vulnerable to subsurface heterogeneity. This paper attempts to underline the groundwater scarcity zones based on different influencing thematic layers and provide a robust methodology to prioritize areas vulnerable to groundwater unavailability, by categorizing the study area into different vulnerable class types – extreme, high, moderate and low. Keywords: Groundwater, Hydrogeology, Lineaments, MIF, Remote sensin

The impact of intensive farming systems on groundwater availability in dryland environments: A watershed level study from Telangana, India

Intensification of agriculture in India has increased food self-sufficiency. However, it has also led to unwanted environmental impacts, particularly the increased pressure on groundwater resources. These impacts are most severe in the dryland regions of the country. Therefore, this paper aims to understand the impact of intensified forms of agriculture on the availability of water resources in a dryland watershed in Telangana, India. To achieve this, we first assessed the water use of three main farming systems in the study region. We then calculated the water balance at the watershed level to understand the agricultural impact on groundwater availability within the watershed. The three farming systems studied were the crop without livestock system (CWL; 48% of households), the crop-dairy system (CD; 38% of households), and the crop with small ruminants system (CSR; 6% of households). The results indicated that the CD system used the highest quantity of water (19,668 m3/household/y), followed by the CSR (8645 m3/household/y) and CWL (4403 m3/household/y). CWL and CD systems comprise 86% of the households, making these systems the largest water users. Finally, the water balance of the whole watershed showed a deficit of – 13.9 Mm3/y. Cultivation of water-demanding non-dryland crops, increased specialization of farming systems, and management practices in current farming systems are the factors causing over-utilization of water and subsequent groundwater depletion. We also realize that the current policy environment and other drivers such as decreasing landholdings and market forces, also induce increased water use in production. We, therefore, conclude that there is a need to promote agro-ecologically suitable farming strategies, improve the existing technological options and introduce new policies that reduce the over-use of water resources for sustainable agricultural production in dryland regions

Peripheral intravenous canula (PIVC) assessment skills among pediatric nurses: audit-based approach study

Introduction: Peripheral Intravenous Cannula (PIVC) placement can cause undesirable effects, such as phlebitis. Poor PIVC care can irritate tunica intima layers of the superficial vein. The incidence of phlebitis had become a national nursing indicator, with a standard of less than 0.9%. The standard care of the patient with intravenous in¬cludes a routine PIVC assessment. However, what the assessment should be based on remained unclear. The objec¬tive of this study is to assess nurses’ skill in performing PIVC assessment. Methods: This is a descriptive study using an audit-based approach. It is conducted in a pediatric hospital. Nine pediatric wards were identified via stratified sampling methods. A total of 86 registered nurses consented to participate in this study. A validated research instru¬ments (α = 0.83), PIVC Assessment Skill (PIVC-AS) checklist is used to audit nurses in performing PIVC assessment. PIVC-AS consists of nine audit criteria (AC), AC1: communication skill, AC2 until AC7: PIVC assessment skill, AC8: documentation skill and AC9: PIVC management. Results: Nurses communication skills to patient as in AC1 shows compliance rate of seventy six percent. The compliance rate can be explained that this study was done in the pedi¬atric setting. Participants may skip this communication due to handling with a pediatric patient. More than eighty eight percent nurses comply with AC2 to AC6 which indicated their excellent skill in performing PIVC assessment every shift. However, in the AC7, only sixty seven percent comply to palpate PIVC area for any evidence of venous cord and warmth. Conclusion: This study concludes that communication between nurses and pediatric patients prior to PIVC assessment often missed out by nurses. The palpation techniques also not been carried out as compared to observation technique in pediatrics setting. Palpation technique is crucial to detect ‘warmth to touch’ because it differentiates between the early and medium stage of phlebitis