Geoelectric and geochemical studies for hydrological characterization of canning and adjoining areas of South 24 Parganas district,West Bengal

Integrated geoelectric and geochemical investigation were carried out in the Canning and adjoining areas to assess the prevailing groundwater conditions and chemical quality of groundwater. Geologically, the area is constituted of alluvial sediments of Quaternary age. Vertical electrical soundings (VES) in the area of investigation mostly show six layers consisting of top soil, saline water, clay layer, brackish water, clay layer and fresh-water bearing zone of appreciable thicknesses at depths of 137 to 182 meter at six locations and from 370 to 430 meter for other two locations under confined conditions. The result of VES studies significantly correspond with the borehole litholog and well log data. A litho-resistivity relationship is established for this area of investigation A Fence diagram is constructed to show the spatial variation of the sub-surface lithology and hydrological characteristics. Chemically the ground water is fresh and mixed cation and anion type as revealed from Piper-Trilinear diagram with TDS ranging from 699 to 1547 mg/l. The geochemical parameters like Total hardness (TH), Sodium absorption ratio (SAR), Soluble sodium percentage (SSP), Percentage of sodium (PS), Kelley’s ratio (KR), Residual sodium carbonate (RSC), Corrosivity ratio (CR), Gibbs ratios (GR), Chloro alkaline indices (CAI), Sea water contamination (SWC) are also calculated for examining the quality of groundwater in the area. The depth of occurrences of freshwater bearing ground water zones for drinking and irrigation purposes are occurring at depths from 137 meter to 430 meter in this area.