IJEP 41(10): 1103-1111 : Vol. 41 Issue. 10 (October 2021)
1. Vellore Institute of Technology, Department of Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Vellore – 632 014, Tamil Nadu, India
2. Anna University, Centre for Water Resources, College of Engineering, Chennai – 600 025, Tamil Nadu, India
3. Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Centre for Geotechnology, Tirunelveli – 627 012, Tamil Nadu, India
4. Rise Krishna Sai Prakasam Group of Institutions, Department of Civil Engineering, Ongole – 523 272, Andhra Pradesh, India
Abstract
Extensive pumping of groundwater resources in an agricultural field leads to groundwater depletion in terms of both quantity and quality. In this study, electrical resistivity investigations were carried out to identify the groundwater potential zones, assess the impact of agricultural practices on groundwater quality and evaluate the interaction between pond and aquifer. A total of 13 vertical electrical sounding (VES) were carried out near wells and ponds in the agricultural field. Based on the rock resistivity variations, characteristics of the sub-surface layer and its thickness were determined. The parameters, such as longitudinal unit conductance, transverse unit resistance, average longitudinal resistivity, average transverse resistivity and anisotropy were also calculated. Results reveal that lithology exists in the study area comprised of clay, highly weathered granitic gneiss, weathered granitic gneiss, jointed granitic gneiss, fractured granitic gneiss and highly compacted rock. Highly weathered/weathered granitic gneiss in unconfined conditions serve as shallow aquifer zones and supply water for agricultural activities. It was observed that groundwater quality deteriorates due to intensive agricultural practices. The existence of weathered granitic gneiss along the pond shore possesses high permeability and hence the interaction exists in these zones between pond and aquifer. Measured electrical conductivity was low in the northern region of the study area also implies the existence of an interaction between pond and wells in these zones. The identification of groundwater potential zones through electrical resistivity method suggest the importance of implementation of emerging agricultural management systems to avoid the groundwater quality deterioration of the study area.
Keywords
Vertical electrical sounding, Electrical resistivity, Surface water and groundwater interaction, Groundwater delineation, Hard rock region
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