Groundwater Recharge through Conservation Structures – A Study in Ghat Area of Orissa

Abstract

Groundwater recharge from two different water conservation structures under humid conditions of eastern ghat high land (EGHL) zone of Orissa were estimated by employing water table fluctuation procedure. A power function relationship best fitted the recharge and water storage depths. Contribution of base flow was segregated from the recharge values using base flow hydrograph separation technique. Potential groundwater recharge based on four years (2004-07) was estimated in the range between 3.5 - 11.0 % of the annual rainfall while considering the runoff contributing area of the conservation structures. Temporal groundwater contour maps generated using grid based graphics SURFER package (Version # 8) and GPSMAP (Version # 76CSX) for the study watershed revealed that there was a total net increase of 8.12 m and decrease of 2.61 m water table depths during wet and dry periods, respectively, resulting in net increase of water table by 1.38 m per year due to the influence of the water conservation structures. Groundwater quality of the wells in the watershed was found to be safe for irrigation and domestic consumption purposes.