Integration of Groundwater Potential and Irrigation Water Quality at Micro Level in Tannery Polluted Areas
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Abstract
Micro level integration of groundwater potential and quality is essential in severely polluted river basins, to enable efficient extraction, planning of artificial recharge structures for augmentation of groundwater potential and dilution of pollutant load. The objective of the paper is to develop an integrated groundwater potential and quality map, using GIS techniques to identify the locations of water extraction in sub basin level. Ambur sub-basin in Palar River Basin, Tamil Nadu, India were chosen for present study, this basin is affected by tannery effluents for the past 30 years. Groundwater potential map were prepared using geology, geomorphology, lineament, soil, landuse / land cover and slope maps and also based on field survey data on groundwater level and yield. Groundwater quality map for irrigation purpose were prepared based on spatial distribution of electrical conductivity, Sodium Adsorption Ratio, Sodium percentage, Residual Sodium Carbonate and Permeability index. Based on these maps, an integrated overlaid map of groundwater potential and quality were prepared. The integrated map distinctly indicates zones for groundwater extraction, development of artificial recharge structures and adoption of suitable water treatment methods for irrigation at micro level. Pollutant transport model can also be applied, to simulate changes that may happen in the integrated map over the next 20 - 100 years. The results of this study show that the benefits of integrated map for solving the water problems with respect to both quantity and quality for the water managers. It is arrived that the total area of about 29.60 km2 out of 60 km2 is suitable for irrigation with respect to both potential and quality