Integrated methods and scenario development for urban groundwater management and protection during tunnel road construction: a case study of urban hydrogeology in the city of Basel,Switzerland

In the northwestern area of Basel, Switzerland, a tunnel highway connects the French highway A35 (Mulhouse–Basel) with the Swiss A2 (Basel–Gotthard–Milano). The subsurface highway construction was associated with significant impacts on the urban groundwater system. Parts of this area were formerly contaminated by industrial wastes, and groundwater resources are extensively used by industry. During some construction phases, considerable groundwater drawdown was necessary, leading to major changes in the groundwater flow regime. Sufficient groundwater supply for industrial users and possible groundwater pollution due to interactions with contaminated areas had to be taken into account. A groundwater management system is presented, comprising extensive groundwater monitoring, high-resolution numerical groundwater modeling, and the development and evaluation of different scenarios. This integrated approach facilitated the evaluation of the sum of impacts, and their interaction in time and space with changing hydrological boundary conditions. For all project phases, changes of the groundwater system had to be evaluated in terms of the various goals and requirements. Although the results of this study are case-specific, the overall conceptual approach and methodologies applied may be directly transferred to other urban areas.     

Salinization of groundwater in the Nefzawa oases region,Tunisia: results of a regional-scale hydrogeologic approach

Groundwater pumped from the semi-confined Complexe Terminal (CT) aquifer is an important production factor in irrigated oases agriculture in southern Tunisia. A rise in the groundwater salinity has been observed as a consequence of increasing abstraction from the aquifer during the last few decades. All sources of contamination were investigated using hydrochemical data available from the 1980s. Water samples were taken from drains and observation wells tapping both the CT and the phreatic aquifers and analyzed with regard to chemistry, temperature, isotopes and other environmental tracers. Local salinization mechanisms are suggested, i.e. the upwelling of saline water from the underlying, confined Continental Intercalaire (CI) aquifer, as well as backflow of agricultural drainage water. At this stage, the main salt pan, the Chott el Djerid, is not a contamination source. A finite difference model was also developed to simulate groundwater flow and contaminant transport in the oases. Calibration for the period 1950–2000 was carried out in order to adjust geological and chemical system parameters. The simulation of planned extraction projects predicts a worsening of the present situation. Maintenance of the present abstraction regime will not reduce or stop the salinity increase.

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Résumé L’eau souterraine pompée dans l’aquifère semi-captif du Complexe Terminal (CT) est un facteur de production important pour l’agriculture des oasis irriguées du sud de la Tunisie. Une augmentation de la salinité de l’eau souterraine a été considérée comme la conséquence de l’augmentation des prélèvements dans l’aquifère au cours des dernières décades. Toutes les sources de contamination ont été étudiées à l’aide de données hydro-chimiques disponibles depuis les années 80. Des échantillons d’eau ont été prélevés dans des drains et des puits d’observation qui captent à la fois le CT et les aquifères phréatiques; la chimie, la température, les isotopes ainsi que d’autres traceurs environnementaux ont été analysés. Des processus locaux de salinisation sont proposés, comme par exemple la remontée d’eau salée en provenance de l’aquifère captif du Continental Intercalaire (CI) sous-jacent, ainsi que le reflux des eaux du drainage agricole. A ce stade, le principal marais salé, le Chott el Djerid, n’est pas une source de contamination. Un modèle aux différences finies a également été élaboré pour simuler les écoulements souterrains et le transport de contaminants dans les oasis. Une calibration pour la période 1950–2000 a été effectuée afin d’ajuster les paramètres des systèmes géologique et chimique. La simulation de projets planifiés d’extraction prédit une aggravation de la situation actuelle. La conservation du régime d’extraction actuel ne réduira ou ne stoppera pas l’augmentation de la salinité.

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Resumen El agua subterránea que se bombea del acuífero semi-confinado Terminal Complejo (CT) es un importante factor de producción en la agricultura de riego con oasis en el sur de Túnez. Se ha observado un incremento en la salinidad del agua subterránea como consecuencia de la abstracción creciente del acuífero durante las últimas décadas. Se investigaron todas las fuentes de contaminación usando datos hidroquímicos disponibles de la década de 1980s. Las muestras de agua se tomaron de drenajes y pozos de observación alojados tanto en el CT como los acuíferos freáticos y se analizaron en relación con química, temperatura, isótopos y otros trazadores ambientales. Se sugieren mecanismos de salinización local, i.e. el ascenso de agua salada a partir del acuífero confinado subyacente Intercalado Continental (CI), así como también retorno de flujo de agua de drenaje agrícola. En esta etapa, el pan salado principal, el Chott el Djerid, no es una fuente de contaminación. También se desarrolló un modelo de diferencia finita para simular el flujo de agua subterránea y el transporte de contaminantes en los oasis. Se calibró el modelo para el periodo 1950–2000 para de este modo ajustar parámetros del sistema químico y geológico. La simulación de los proyectos de extracción que se han planeado predice un empeoramiento de la situación actual. El mantenimiento del régimen de extracción actual no reducirá o detendrá el incremento de salinidad.

     

Benthic foraminiferal response to changes in mining pattern: a case study from the Zuari estuary,Goa, India

Being sensitive to environmental changes, foraminifera have been extensively used to monitor pollution level in the marine environment, including the effect of mining in coastal areas. In the Goa state of India, the rejects from opencast mining on land largely find their way to the estuaries, as washout during monsoon. Additionally, the Mormugao Port at the mouth of the Zuari estuary is the hub of activities due to the transport of ore from hinterland areas by barges and its subsequent loading for export. On the directive of the Supreme Court of India, all the mining-related activities abruptly stopped throughout India, including that in Goa in 2012, and got reinstated in 2015. Therefore, it provided a fit case to test the effectiveness of benthic foraminifera as an indicator of environmental impact due to mining activities. A total of ten surface sediment samples from five locations in Zuari estuary were collected from a depth range of 4.5–8.5 m in the years of 2013 and 2016 and were analyzed for both the living (stained) and dead benthic foraminifera. The year 2013 represents a time interval immediately after the closure of extensive mining activity, and the sampling during 2016 represents minimal mining. The living benthic foraminiferal abundance was higher (19–54/g sediment) during 2013 and decreased substantially during 2016 (3–22/g sediment), suggesting an adverse effect of activities associated with mine closure on benthic foraminifera. Additionally, the relative abundance of Ammonia was also significantly low during the year 2016. The temporal variation in dead foraminifera was, however, different than that of the living foraminifera. The differential response was attributed to the terrigenous dilution as a result of change in sedimentation rate. Therefore, we conclude that living foraminifera correctly incorporate the changes in mining pattern and may be used as an effective tool to monitor the impact of mining. We further suggest that the potential counter effect of terrigenous dilution on total and living benthic foraminiferal population should be considered while interpreting temporal variations in foraminiferal abundance in marginal marine settings.     

Fractured-karst spring-flow protections: a case study in Jinan, China

Jinan Springs are an important historical heritage in China and have been well known for hundreds of years. Over-abstraction of groundwater in the Jinan area has seriously endangered the hydrological system of the springs, which have stopped flowing for significant periods of time in recent years. A three-dimensional finite-element model programmed primarily at the Hefei University of Technology has been developed to simulate groundwater level change in the large fractured-karst aquifer system in the Jinan Springs field. Various spring protection plans have been explored and their effects on the water table analyzed and compared. It was found that the present rate of groundwater withdrawal from the fractured-karst system in this area was inappropriate for spring protection. The simulated results suggest that decreasing the rate of groundwater pumping from 6.9×10⁵ to 2.7×10⁵ m³/day is needed to protect spring flows. Additional water resource requirements in that area may be met by use of surface water and recycled waste water.     

Groundwater quality in a coastal area: a case study from Andhra Pradesh, India

Over-exploitation of groundwater results in decline of water levels, leading to intrusion of salt water along the coastal region, which is a natural phenomenon. A groundwater quality survey has been carried out to assess such phenomena along the coast of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. Brackish groundwaters are observed in most of the wells. The rest of the wells show a fresh water environment. The factors responsible for the brackish groundwater quality with respect to the influence of seawater are assessed, using the standard ionic ratios, such as Ca²⁺:Mg²⁺, TA:TH and Cl⁻:HCO⁻ ₃. Results suggest that the brackish nature in most of the groundwaters is not due to the seawater influence, but is caused by the hydrogeochemical process. Some influence of seawater on the groundwater quality is observed along the rock fractures. The combined effect of seawater and urban wastewaters is due to the inferior quality of groundwater in a few wells, where they are at topographic lows close to the coast.     

Application of statistical methods to study seasonal variation in the mine contaminants in soil and groundwater of Goa, India

 Soil and groundwater samples were collected during two seasons, premonsoon (April 1990) and postmonsoon (December 1990), and analyzed for major elements (Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, K, Ca, Ti, Mn and Fe), trace elements (Ni, Pb, Co, Cr and Zn) and water parameters (pH, conductivity, acidity, alkalinity, hardness, Cl and SO₄). All the data were subjected to linear discriminant analysis and partial correlation analysis in order to understand the seasonal variation in the data. It was observed from the Mahalanobis generalized distance that in both soil and groundwater samples there was a large difference in the concentration level of premonsoon and postmonsoon data. Linear discriminant functions were calculated to distinguish between premonsoon and postmonsoon samples. From the partial correlation coefficient analysis of soil samples, dominance of chemical weathering and precipitation of atmospheric fallout during monsoon were inferred. In the case of the water samples, high conductivity and high hardness in the postmonsoon samples as well as atmospheric fallout of Pb and Ni during the premonsoon period was suggested from partial correlation of water samples. Received: 19 September 1995 · Accepted: 12 December 1995     

An approximate projection of availability of the fresh groundwater resources in the South West district of NCT Delhi, India: a case study

The future availability and sustainability of fresh groundwater resources in the South West district of the national capital territory (NCT) Delhi, India, have been projected. Due to a rapid decline in groundwater level and quality, the district has been required by the Government of India to regulate development of groundwater resources. Shallow groundwater is mostly saline and water resources in the area are limited. The methodology applied here involves microzonation of the district in terms of thickness of fresh groundwater and then quantification of present and future availability of freshwater in different freshwater zones, including tentative timescales. The calculation method has been aided by data on historic trends in water level at representative groundwater monitoring stations, located either in fresh groundwater zones or near to them. It is estimated that the presently available 481 million m³ of resources will be reduced to 374 million m³ by year 2007 and to 303 million m³ by the year 2012, and by the year 2022 the district will have only 176 million m³ of available fresh groundwater resources.     

Pumping decisions for sustainable development of groundwater resources in areas of grassland degradation: a case study in Lanqi Banner, Inner Mongolia, China

The best planting alternatives for satisfying high water use demands of forage and fodder crops in a region of Inner Mongolia, China, were determined by a multiobjective distributed-parameter groundwater management model. These alternatives took account of different cropping patterns and pumping decisions associated with both temporal and spatial aspects of water allocation. The model was developed for phreatic, homogenous, and isotropic aquifers using the response matrix technique of quadratic programming theory and, in this case, using the alternative direction implicit (ADI) scheme. Model solutions using effective rainfall with a probability of 50%, show that average water table drawdown in the planning period (2006–2017) is 0.22 m and the groundwater fluctuation in each pumping well is very low. In order to evaluate the pumping decisions under an effective rainfall with a probability of 75%, a sensitive analysis was also conducted. Analysis shows that it is useful to apply the results from the proposed model to control the landscape degradation due to overgrazing and overpumping activities.     

Modeling the impact of groundwater harvesting on the hydro-salinity of a saline catchment in southeastern Australia

Recharge to a saline, unconfined shallow-water-table aquifer is normally considered as an irrecoverable loss of water, but such thinking could be reviewed empirically. The use of an appropriate groundwater harvesting system does not only provide an opportunity to recover this lost water, but can also help in catchment salinity management and improvement. Agricultural-based land-drainage systems such as those that use serial biological concentration (SBC) of salts, provide examples of such harvesting methods. The impact of groundwater harvesting has been assessed on the hydro-salinity of a saline catchment in southeastern Australia through modeling. For both the below average rainfall and very wet years, the “do nothing” scenario resulted in increasing salinization in the catchment. However, after introducing a SBC system, groundwater salinity showed a decreasing trend while hydraulic heads tended to stabilize around the depth of subsurface collector wells. However, for a successful groundwater harvesting system, proper understanding of the groundwater flows and salt mobilization associated with a catchment is necessary. The outcomes of this modelling study have the potential to address similar issues (salinization) and/or needs (water harvesting) existing elsewhere in the world, particularly in semi-arid regions.

Subsurface dams to harvest rainwater— a case study of the Swarnamukhi River basin, Southern India

Declining water level trends and yields of wells, deterioration of groundwater quality and drying up of shallow wells are common in many parts of India. This is mainly attributed to the recurrence of drought years, over exploitation of groundwater, increase in the number of groundwater structures and explosion of population. In this subcontinent, the saving of water has to be done on the days it rains. India receives much of its rainfall in just 100 h in a year mostly during the monsoon period. If this water is not captured or stored, the rest of the year experiences a precarious situation manifest in water scarcity. The main objective behind the construction of subsurface dams in the Swarnamukhi River basin was to harvest the base flow infiltrating into sandy alluvium as waste to the sea and thereby to increase groundwater potential for meeting future water demands. An analysis of hydrographs of piezometers of four subsurface dams, monitored during October 2001–December 2002, reveals that there is an average rise of 1.44 m in post-monsoon and 1.80 m in the pre-monsoon period after the subsurface dams were constructed. Further, during the pre-monsoon month of June, much before construction of subsurface dams in October 2001, the water level was found fluctuating in the range of 3.1–10 m, in contrast to the fluctuation ranging from 0.4 to 3.1 m during the period following the construction of dams. Hence, the planning of rainwater harvesting structures entails thorough scientific investigations for identifying the most suitable locations for subsurface dams.     

Salinization properties of a shallow groundwater in a coastal reclaimed area,Yeonggwang, Korea

The need for more agricultural or residential land has encouraged reclamation at the coastal areas of Korea since 1200 ad (approximately). The groundwaters of these reclaimed areas could be expected to reveal hydrogeochemical properties different from those of areas directly affected by seawater intrusion. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the salinization of shallow groundwater in a coastal reclaimed area and to identify the effect of land reclamation on groundwater quality. Major cations and anions, iodide, total organic carbon, δD, δ ¹⁸O and δ ¹³C were measured to assist the hydrogeochemical analysis. Chloride, δD and δ ¹⁸O data clearly show that the Na–Cl type water results from mixing of groundwater with seawater. In particular, the δD and δ ¹⁸O of Ca+Mg–Cl+NO₃ type groundwaters are close to the meteoric water line, but Na–Cl type waters enriched in chloride are ¹⁸O-enriched with respect to the meteoric water line. Meanwhile, carbon isotopic data and I/Cl ratios strongly suggest that there are various sources of salinity. The δ ¹³C values of Na–Cl type groundwaters are generally similar to those of Ca+Mg–Cl+NO₃ type waters, which are depleted in ¹³C with respect to seawater. I/Cl ratios of Na–Cl type groundwater are 10–100 times higher than that of seawater. Because the reclamation has incorporated a large amount of organic matter, it provides optimum conditions for the occurrence of redox processes in the groundwater system. Therefore, the salinization of groundwater in the study area seems to be controlled not only by saltwater intrusion but also by other effects, such as those caused by residual salts and organic matter in the reclaimed sediments.     

Determination of groundwater availability in shallow arid region aquifers utilizing GIS technology: a case study in Hada Al-Sham, Western Saudi Arabia

A simple, physically based method is developed in this paper to assist in the allocation of areas with high groundwater potential and for the determination of maximum allowed pumping rate to ensure proper groundwater management. This method utilizes the aquifer physical properties as well as GIS technology to accomplish this purpose. The design of this method was considered to be applicable in areas with little data, such as in most arid regions. This technique was applied to a catchment in an arid environment where qualitative as well as quantitative analyses of the results were undertaken. Locations of available groundwater and rates of maximum allowable pumping were compared with observations and experiments in the field and a good agreement was found. It was concluded that the best groundwater location was in the alluvial area, which represents only 16% of the total aquifer, which is a typical case in arid region catchments. The rate of maximum pumping was estimated to be 65 m³/h. However, to benefit 55% of the area, the maximum pumping rate should only be 40 m³/h with an average rate throughout the area (55%) of about 24 m³/h.This revised version was published online in December 2004 with corrections to the category.     

Groundwater resource development in Jamui District,Bihar, India: an overview

Because agriculture is the main source of livelihood for the bulk of the population in Jamui District, the importance of developing irrigation facilities in any programme of economic regeneration can hardly be over emphasized. It is, therefore, imperative that groundwater development be considered as an important step to drought mitigation in the Jamui district. The present study was carried out in such a way that technical and economic viability of any groundwater development plan can be thoroughly scrutinized. In this paper the hydrogeological framework of the district was established based on aquifer disposition, orientation of potential fracture systems and their hydraulic characteristics. Considering the aquifer geometry and yield potential of different structures, a blueprint for a groundwater development plan was prepared. An economic analysis of the development plan also was attempted. The analysis yielded results that made it possible to evaluate parameters such as cost–benefit ratio, incremental benefits and internal rate of return used to assess the economic viability of the groundwater development plan. Electronic Publication     

Salinization of groundwater in arid and semi-arid zones: an example from Tajarak,western Iran

Study of the groundwater samples from Tajarak area, western Iran, was carried out in order to assess their chemical compositions and suitability for agricultural purposes. All of the groundwaters are grouped into two categories: relatively low mineralized of Ca–HCO₃ and Na–HCO₃ types and high mineralized waters of Na–SO₄ and Na–Cl types. The chemical evolution of groundwater is primarily controlled by water–rock interactions mainly weathering of aluminosilicates, dissolution of carbonate minerals and cation exchange reactions. Calculated values of pCO₂ for the groundwater samples range from 2.34 × 10⁻⁴ to 1.07 × 10⁻¹ with a mean value of 1.41 × 10⁻² (atm), which is above the pCO₂ of the earth’s atmosphere (10^−3.5). The groundwater is oversaturated with respect to calcite, aragonite and dolomite and undersaturated with respect to gypsum, anhydrite and halite. According to the EC and SAR the most dominant classes (C3-S1, C4-S1 and C4-S2) were found. With respect to adjusted SAR (adj SAR), the sodium (Na⁺) content in 90% of water samples in group A is regarded as low and can be used for irrigation in almost all soils with little danger of the development of harmful levels of exchangeable Na⁺, while in 40 and 37% of water samples in group B the intensity of problem is moderate and high, respectively. Such water, when used for irrigation will lead to cation exchange and Na⁺ is adsorbed on clay minerals while calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺) are released to the liquid phase. The salinity hazard is regarded as medium to high and special management for salinity control is required. Thus, the water quality for irrigation is low, providing the necessary drainage to avoid the build-up of toxic salt concentrations.     

Optimizing a piezometric network in the estimation of the groundwater budget: a case study from a crystalline-rock watershed in southern India

An estimate of the groundwater budget at the catchment scale is extremely important for the sustainable management of available water resources. Water resources are generally subjected to over-exploitation for agricultural and domestic purposes in agrarian economies like India. The double water-table fluctuation method is a reliable method for calculating the water budget in semi-arid crystalline rock areas. Extensive measurements of water levels from a dense network before and after the monsoon rainfall were made in a 53 km² watershed in southern India and various components of the water balance were then calculated. Later, water level data underwent geostatistical analyses to determine the priority and/or redundancy of each measurement point using a cross-validation method. An optimal network evolved from these analyses. The network was then used in re-calculation of the water-balance components. It was established that such an optimized network provides far fewer measurement points without considerably changing the conclusions regarding groundwater budget. This exercise is helpful in reducing the time and expenditure involved in exhaustive piezometric surveys and also in determining the water budget for large watersheds (watersheds greater than 50 km²).     

Aquifer system response to intensive pumping in urban areas of the Gangetic plains,India: the case study of Patna

A significant component of domestic demand for water of urban areas located in the Gangetic plains is met by heavy pumping of groundwater. The present study is focused on the Patna municipal area, inhabited by 17 million people and spanning over 134 km², where entire urban water demand is catered from pumping by wells of various capacities and designs. The present study examines the nature of the aquifer system within the urban area, the temporal changes in the water/piezometric level and the recharge mechanism of the deeper aquifers. The aquifer system is made up of medium-to-coarse unconsolidated sand, lying under a ~40-m-thick predominantly argillaceous unit holding 8- to 13-m-thick localised sand layers and continues up to 220 m below ground. Groundwater occurs under semi-confined condition, with transmissivity of aquifers in 5,500–9,200 m² day^?1 range. Hydraulic head of the deeper aquifer remains in 9–19 m range below ground, in contrast to 1–9 m range of that of the upper aquitard zone. The estimated annual groundwater extraction from the deeper aquifer is ~212.0 million m³, which has created a decline of 3.9 m in the piezometric level of the deeper aquifer during the past 30 years. Unregulated construction of deep tube wells with mushrooming of apartment culture may further exacerbate the problem. The sand layers within the aquitard zone are experiencing an annual extraction of 14.5 million m³ and have exhibited stable water level trend for past one and half decades. This unit is recharged from monsoon rainfall, besides contribution from water supply pipe line leakage and seepage from unlined storm water drains.     

Hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of a shallow alluvial aquifer,western Saudi Arabia

A hydrogeological and hydrochemical study was conducted on a shallow alluvial aquifer, Wadi Wajj, in western Saudi Arabia to assess the influence of protection measures on groundwater quality. The hydrochemistry was assessed up-gradient and down-gradient from potential contamination sources in the main city in dry and wet seasons prior to and after the installation of major drainage and wastewater facilities. Wadi Wajj is an unconfined aquifer where water is stored and transmitted through fractured and weathered bedrock and the overlying alluvial sediments. Natural recharge to the aquifer is about 5% of rainfall-runoff. Hydrochemistry of the aquifer shows temporal and seasonal changes as influenced by protection measures and rainfall runoff. Both groundwater and runoff showed similar chemical signature, which is mostly of chloride-sulfate-bicarbonate and sodium-calcium type. Groundwater downstream of the city, though of poorer quality than upstream, showed significant improvement after the installation of a concrete runoff tunnel and a wastewater treatment plant. Concentrations of many of the groundwater quality indicators (e.g., TDS, coliform bacteria, and nitrate) exceed US Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards. Heavy metal content is, however, within allowable limits by local and international standards. The chemical analyses also suggest the strong influence of stream runoff and sewage water on the groundwater quality.

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Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Résumé Une étude hydrogéologique et géochimique a été menée sur l’aquifère phréatique alluviale Wadi Wajj dans l’Ouest de l’Arabie Saoudite afin d’évaluer l’influence de mesures de protection sur la qualité de l’eau souterraine. L’hydrogéochimie de l’eau a été étudiée en amont et en aval de sources potentielles de contamination dans la ville principale, pendant les saisons sèches et humides, avant et après l’installation de réseaux majeurs de drainage et d’eaux usées. L’aquifère Wadi Wajj est libre, l’eau est stockée et s’écoule dans les sédiments alluviaux et dans le socle fracturé et altéré sous-jacent. La recharge naturelle de l’aquifère représente 5% des eaux de pluie et de ruissellement. L’hydrogéochimie de l’eau de l’aquifère montre que les changements saisonniers et temporaires sont influencés par les mesures de protection et par le ruissellement des eaux pluviales. L’eau souterraine et l’eau de ruissellement ont présenté le même faciès chimique, de type bicarbonatée-sulfatée-chlorée et calco-sodique. En aval de la ville, l’eau souterraine, bien que de moins bonne qualité qu’en amont, a présenté une nette amélioration après l’installation d’un système de récupération et d’une station de traitement des eaux usées. Les concentrations de plusieurs paramètres indicateurs de la qualité de l’eau (tels que la charge totale dissoute, les coliformes, et les nitrates) dépassent les normes de potabilité de l’eau de consommation de l’agence américaine de la protection de l’environnement. Les teneurs en métaux lourds en revanche n’excèdent pas les normes locales et internationales. Les analyses chimiques indiquent aussi l’influence importante de l’écoulement par ruissellement et des eaux usées sur la qualité de l’eau souterraine.

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Resumen Un estudio hidrogeológico e hidroquímico fue hecho en un acuífero somero de Wadi Wajj, en Arabia Saudi oeste para evaluar la influecia de medidas de protección en la calidad del agua subterránea. La hidroquímica fue evaluada gradiente-arriba y gradiente-abajo de las fuentes potenciales de contaminación de la ciudad principal durante las estaciones seca y lluviosa, antes y después de la instalación de sistemas principales de drenaje y aguas servidas. Wadi Wajj es un acuífero no-confinado donde el agua es almacenada y transmitida a través de roca fracturada y meteorizada, y los sedimentos aluviales que le sobreyacen. La recarga natural del acuífero es de cerca del 5% de la precipitación-escorrentía. La hidroquímica del acuífero muestra cambios temporales y estacionales influenciados por las medidas de protección y la escorrentía de precipitación. Ambas, agua subterránea y escorrentía mostraron composición química similar, siendo mayoritariamente de tipos cloruro-sulfato-bicarbonato y sodio-calcio. El agua subterránea aguas arriba de la ciudad, aunque de calidad más pobre que aguas abajo, mostró significante mejoría después de la instalación de un tunel de concreto para escorrentía y una planta de tratamiento de aguas servidas. Las concentraciones de muchos de los indicadores de calidad de agua subterránea (e.g., STD, coliformes, y nitrato) exceden los estándares de la Agencia de Protección Ambiental USA para agua potable. El contenido de metales pesados está, sin embargo, dentro de los límites permisibles de los estándares locales e internacionales. Los análisis químicos también sugieren la fuerte influencia de la escorrentía y aguas residuales en la calidad del agua subterránea.

     

Assessment of groundwater quality for drinking and irrigation purposes: a case study of Peddavanka watershed, Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh, India

In India, the quantity and quality of water available for irrigation is variable from place to place. Assessment of water quality has been carried out to determine the sources of dissolved ions in groundwater. Quality of groundwater in a 398 km² Peddavanka watershed of a semi-arid region of south India is evaluated for its suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes. The middle Proterozoic Cuddapah Supergroup and Kurnool Group of rocks underlie most of the watershed. The main lithologic units consist chiefly of quartzite, limestone, and shale. Seventy-six water samples were collected from open-wells and bore-holes. Water samples were collected representative of the post-monsoon (winter) and pre-monsoon (summer). The quality assessment is made through the estimation of Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, CO₃²⁻, HCO₃⁻, total hardness as CaCO₃, TDS, EC, and pH. Based on these analyses, parameters like sodium adsorption ratio, % sodium, residual sodium carbonate, non-carbonate hardness, potential salinity, Kelley’s ratio, magnesium ratio, index of base exchange and permeability index were calculated. According to Gibbs‘ ratio samples in both seasons fall in the rock dominance field. The overall quality of waters in the study area in post-monsoon season is high for all constituents ruling out pollution from extraneous sources.     

Hydrological-drainage analysis in watershed-programme planning: a case from the Deccan basalt,India

Watershed development in India is being adopted increasingly as an integrated mechanism of addressing ecological concerns, particularly in dryland areas. Increasing groundwater recharge constitutes one of the principal objectives of watershed-development programmes because many parts of India face acute shortages of groundwater resources on which rural livelihood depends. A combination of hydrogeological mapping and drainage analysis can form an important tool for planning of watershed-development programmes. Studies on the Kurzadi watershed from the Deccan volcanic province in west-central India illustrate how this technique is useful in selecting sites for artificial recharge of groundwater.The Kurzadi river basin includes three third-order sub-basins that are compared for relative variability in surface-material permeability. Domains of high surface permeability typically indicate relatively higher length ratios and lower drainage density and stream frequency. In the Kurzadi watershed, drainage parameters reveal areas for recharge-related measures and areas where surface-water augmentation measures can be undertaken, even on lower, second-order streams.

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Resumen En la India, se está adoptando el desarrollo de cuenca de forma creciente como un mecanismo integrado para abordar las inquietudes ecológicas, particularmente en zonas áridas. El aumento de la recarga a los acuíferos constituye uno de los objetivos principales de los programas de desarrollo de cuenca, porque muchas zonas de la India deben afrontar períodos acusados de escasez de recursos de aguas subterráneas, de los que dependen los asentamientos rurales. La combinación de cartografía hidrogeológico y de análisis del drenaje puede significar una herramienta importante para la planificación de los programas de desarrollo de cuenca. Los estudios efectuados en la cuenca de Kurzadi, en la Provincia Volcánica de Deccan (región central-occidental de India) ilustran la utilidad de esta técnica con el objeto de seleccionar emplazamientos adecuados para la recarga artificial de acuíferos.La cuenca del río Kurzidi incluye tres subcuencas de tercer orden que han sido comparadas con respecto a la variabilidad relativa de la permeabilidad en superficie. Los dominios de alta permeabilidad superficial son indicadores típicos de relaciones de longitud relativamente mayores y de menor densidad de drenaje y frecuencia de curso fluvial. En la cuenca de Kurzadi, los parámetros de drenaje revelan áreas de medidas relacionadas con la recarga y áreas en las que se puede emprender medidas de aumento de agua superficial, incluso en cursos fluviales menores, de segundo orden.

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Résumé En Inde, la mise en valeur de bassins versants est en train d'être pris en compte de plus en plus comme un mécanisme intégrateur de problèmes concernant l'écologie, en particulier dans les régions sèches. L'accroissement de la recharge des nappes constitue l'un des principaux objectifs des programmes de mise en valeur des bassins versants, parce que de nombreuses régions de l'Inde doivent faire face à une grave pénurie de ressources en eau souterraine, dont dépendent les moyens d'existence en zones rurales. Une combinaison de cartographie hydrogéologique et d'analyse du drainage peut constituer un outil important de planification des programmes de développement des bassins. Des études sur le bassin de Kurzadi, dans la province volcanique du Deccan, dans le centre-ouest de l'Inde, illustre combien cette technique est utile pour décider des sites de recharge artificielle de nappe.Le bassin de la rivière Kurzadi est formé de trois sous-bassins de troisième ordre dont on a comparé la variabilité relative de la perméabilité de surface. Des domaines de forte perméabilité de surface dénotent bien des rapports de longueurs relativement plus forts et une densité de drainage et une fréquence de cours d'eau plus faibles. Dans le bassin de la rivière Kurzadi, les paramètres du drainage révèlent des zones convenant à des mesures relatives à la recharge et des zones où des mesures d'augmentation de l'eau de surface peuvent être entreprises, même sur des cours d'eau plus petits, de second ordre.