GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT: INTEGRATING GEOLOGICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL DATA FOR EFFECTIVE DECISION MAKING

Abstract

The most valuable natural resource for all of humanity, not just for a state or nation, is water. A country's ability to prosper largely rests on how wisely it uses this resource. Thus, water, which flows in rivers and streams, can be said to be a nation's primary asset. This proves rivers are important, and further justification is needed to emphasise how important they are. The global acceptance of river basins as planning and management domains stems from the fact that water transcends national boundaries. India's rivers are one of its most defining characteristics; the people of India place great religious significance on them. Since groundwater is the most abundant freshwater resource, it is essential to pinpoint the groundwater potential zones for the ongoing and sustainable growth of socioeconomic and agricultural advances. Hard, fractured rock aquifers underlie most of south India's densely inhabited areas. The meagre amount of freshwater that these aquifers provide is the only source that people may use for cultivation and drinking. Because of the diverse nature of the aquifer owing to varied composition, degree of weathering, and density of fracturing, groundwater conditions in hard rock terrain are multivariate. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the distribution and features of the aquifer under the various hydrogeologic circumstances of the research region is necessary for the long-term utilisation of groundwater resources. This study's primary goal is to evaluate the possibility for groundwater management utilising hydrological and geological investigations.