Groundwater resources development in hard rock terrain - an approach using remote sensing and GIS techniques

Abstract

To demonstrate the capabilities of remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques for groundwater resources development in hard rock terrains, specifically for the demarcation of suitable sites for artificial recharge of groundwater aquifers, a study was carried out in the Kallar Basin, which is located in parts of the Salem and Tiruchirapalli districts, Tamil Nadu, India. Thematic maps defining lithology, lineaments, landforms, landuse, drainage density, thickness of weathered zone, thickness of fractured zone, hydrological soils, and well yield were prepared from data collected by the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS) -1C and by conventional methods. All the thematic layers were integrated using a GIS-based model developed specifically for this purpose, enabling a map showing artificial recharge zones to be generated. The exact type of artificial recharge structure, eg, check dam, nallabund, gully plugging and percolation pond, suitable for replenishing groundwater was identified by superposing a drainage network map over an artificial recharge zones map. The GIS-based demarcation of artificial zones developed in the study was based on logical conditions and reasoning, so that the same techniques (with appropriate modifications) could be adopted elsewhere, especially in hard rock terrain, where the occurrence of groundwater is restricted and subject to greater complexity.