Hydrochemical Characteristics of Groundwater in Parts of Krishni-Yamuna Basin, Muzaffarnagar District, U.P.

The Krishni-Yamuna is a watershed in the most productive central Ganga plain. Systematic sampling was carried out in Krishni-Yamuna Basin in parts of Muzaffarnagar district, with a view to understand the sources of dissolved ions and to assess the quality of groundwater. Forty samples were collected from handpumps, covering an area of 434 square km. The quality of groundwater is suitable for irrigation purposes. As far as human consumption is concerned, the quality has a negative aspect in being SO₄^-enriched. Na+K and Cl+SO₄ are dominating facies in cations and anions respectively. Based on chemical characteristics, the groundwaters have been divided into four groups. Group I and group II samples have acquired their chemistry through sediment-Water interaction and dissolution mechanism. Group III and IV samples depict an increasing influence of anthropogenic factors.