Informatics Publishing Limited

Rashid Umar ¹, Izrar Ahmed ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Geology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh - 202 002, IN

Abstract

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.

Keywords

Krishni-Yamuna Basin, Hydrochemical Species, Groundwater Chemistry, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.

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Yousef Nazzal ¹, Faisal K. Zaidi ², Izrar Ahmed ³, Habes Ghrefat ², Muhammad Naeem ², Nassir S. N. Al-Arifi ², Saeed A. Al-Shaltoni ², Khaled M. Al-Kahtany ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Mathematics and Applied Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Abu Dhabi University, PO Box 59911, Abu Dhabi, AE
2 Department of Geology and Geophysics, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, SA
3 Colleges of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, SA

Abstract

Central Saudi Arabia is one of the most arid regions of the world with very little precipitation and extreme climatic conditions. In the absence of available surface water supplies, the non-renewable groundwater resources stored in the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary formations form the most important source for irrigation and domestic water requirements. The present study deals with 97 groundwater samples collected from Saq aquifer, which is the major aquifer in the region. The study involves the use of principal component analysis (PCA) and variogram analysis for groundwater quality mapping. PCA helped in establishing a series of factorial variables that summarize all the hydrochemical information. Efforts have been made to identify the spatial development of the principal process acting on groundwater quality by mapping it using factorial variables and ordinary kriging techniques. Two principal components (PCs) were extracted revealing that the chemical characteristics of groundwater in the region were acquired through rock-water interactions and anthropogenic influences. Finally, by applying kriging interpolation technique on the factor distribution values for the two PCs in the area under investigation, the factor distribution maps were prepared. The results concluded that both natural and anthropogenic processes contribute to the groundwater quality, but anthropogenic impacts are more important and may result in further deterioration of groundwater quality if relevant protection methodologies are not adopted.

Keywords

Arid Region, Geostatistics, Groundwater Quality, Kriging, Principal Component Analysis.

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Rashid Umar ¹, Izrar Ahmed ¹, Fakhre Alam ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Geology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh - 202 002, IN

Abstract

A detailed hydrogeological and hydrochemical study was carried out in Yamuna-Krishni sub-basin which is a part of the vast central Ganga plain. Groundwater is the major source of water supply for agricultural, domestic and industrial uses. The excess use of groundwater has resulted in depletion of water levels. The groundwater quality, too, has deteriorated in areas dominated by industrial activity. This has led to the preparation of a groundwater vulnerability map in relation to contamination. Groundwater vulnerability maps are valuable derivative maps that show, quantitatively or qualitatively, certain characteristics of the sub-surface environment that determine vulnerability of groundwater to contamination. The modified DRASTIC method was used to prepare vulnerability map. The parameters like depth to water, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, impact of vadose zone, hydraulic conductivity and land use pattern, owing to its bearing on groundwater regime, were considered to prepare vulnerability map. The vulnerability index is computed as the sum of the products of weight and rating assigned to each of the input considered as above. The vulnerability index ranges from 140 to 180, and is classified into four classes i.e. 140-150, 150-160, 160-170 and 170-180 corresponding to low, medium, high and very high vulnerability zones respectively. Using this index, a groundwater vulnerability potential map was generated which shows that 7%, 40% and 53% of the study area falls in low, medium and high to very high vulnerability zones respectively. The map, thus generated, can be used as a tool for protection and management of aquifers from contamination.

Keywords

Central Ganga Plain, Yamuna-Krishni Sub-Basin, Groundwater Vulnerability, Pollution Potential, DRASIC-LU.

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