Assessment of groundwater vulnerability in Mettur region, Tamilnadu, India using drastic and GIS techniques

A study was carried in Mettur taluk, Salem district of Tamilnadu, India to develop a DRASTIC vulnerability index in GIS environment owing to groundwater pollution with increasing population, industries, and agricultural activities. Seven DRASTIC layers were created from available data (depth to water table, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of vadose zone, and hydraulic conductivity) and incorporated into DRASTIC model to create a groundwater vulnerability map by overlaying the hydrogeological parameters. The output map indicates southwestern part of the study area with high pollution potential, northern and northwestern parts as moderate pollution potential and northeastern parts as low and no risk of pollution potential. For validating the vulnerability assessment, a total of 46 groundwater samples were collected from different vulnerability zones of the study area for two different seasons (pre- and post-monsoon) and analyzed for major anions and cations. Higher ionic concentrations were noted in wells located near highly industrialized, urbanized, and agricultural active zones. The water types represent Na–Mg–HCO₃ and Na–Cl–HCO₃ type indicating dominance of anthropogenic-related activities. Nitrate and chloride were demarcated as pollution indicators and correlated with DRASTIC vulnerability map. The results show that southwestern, northwestern, and northern parts of the study area recorded with high and moderate vulnerable zones, record higher nitrate values. In contrast to DRASTIC method predicted, low vulnerable zones show higher chloride concentration may be due to agricultural and urban development.