Geochemical Impact Assessment of Groundwater Quality along a Coastal District of Andhra Pradesh, India

Coastal groundwater has always been circumspect with severe geochemical impacts which impart qualitative fluctuations from time to time. The Bay of Bengal coast of Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, India has witnessed many geomorphological changes in the recent times and there was a severe concern over the groundwater quality. A geochemical assessment was carried out for two seasons along the coast to investigate the contributing factors for these qualitative deviations. Twenty nine groundwater samples of bore and open wells of pre and post monsoon seasons were analysed for various physico-chemical parameters. The chemical, geological and geophysical interpretations of the data revealed mechanisms controlling the origin of the chemical ions in the groundwater. The flow patterns, geochemical facies and zones, intrusion zones along with the present status were examined during the assessment. The geochemical factors imparting the qualitative changes of the groundwater were quantified.