Identification of Groundwater Potential Zones Using Remote Sensing Techniques In and Around Guntur Town, Andhra Pradesh, India

The area in and around Guntur Town in Andhra Pradesh faces an acute water problem. It represents plain land and gentle slope responsible for infiltration and groundwater recharge. Adequate groundwater resource is reported to be available in the investigated area. It has not been properly exploited. The present investigation is, therefore, undertaken to assess groundwater favourable zones for development and exploration with the help of geomorphological units and associated features. The identified units and features by remote sensing technology with the integration of conventional information and limited ground truths are shallow weathered pediplain (PPS), moderately weathered pediplain (PPM), deeply weathered pediplain (PPD), residual hill (RH) and lineaments (L). The results show that the PPD, PPM and PPS are good, moderate to good and poor to moderate promising zones, respectively for groundwater prospecting. The RH is a poor geomorphological unit in respect to prospective zone as groundwater resource. However, adequate recharge source of groundwater can be expected surrounding the RH, as it acts as surface run-off zone. Lineaments parallel to the stream courses and intersecting-lineaments are favourable indicators for groundwater development. They can also be utilized to augment groundwater resource.