Bhima Basin Research Articles

Archaeological Investigation Into Microlithic Assemblage of Bhorgiri - Bhimashankar Region of the Upper Bhima Basin in Pune District of Maharashtra State (Human and Heritage: An Archaeological Spectrum of Asiatic Countries, Felicitation to Professor Ajit Kumar, Vol. II, 2019)

Archaeological Investigation Into Microlithic Assemblage of Bhorgiri - Bhimashankar Region of the Upper Bhima Basin in Pune District of Maharashtra State (Human and Heritage: An Archaeological Spectrum of Asiatic Countries, Felicitation to Professor Ajit Kumar, Vol. II, 2019)

Is the rarity of glauconite in Precambrian Bhima Basin in India related to its chloritization?

An integrated textural, mineralogical and chemical investigation reveals the origin of authigenic glauconite within the Mesoproterozoic Rabanpalli Formation in the Bhima Basin and its subsequent alteration to chlorite. Glauconite forms within the transgressive shallow shelf deposits in the Rabanpalli Formation. It primarily occurs in two modes, as thoroughly replaced form of detrital grains, and as altered zones along cleavages and fractures of quartz, K-feldspar and mica. All varieties of glauconites exhibit high contents of K2O. The Fe2O3 (T) content is highest in glauconite formed within mica, while it is least in glauconite formed by the replacement of feldspars. Pseudomorphic replacement of substrates by glauconite best explains the origin of glauconite in the Rabanpalli Formation. Diagenetic chlorite, mostly occurring as thick rims on grains and along the grain margin fractures replaces glauconite. Chloritization predominantly takes place in the glauconite variety forming within the mica. The mineral chemistry of chlorite is characterized by high MgO and Fe2O3 (T). Chloritization involves the simultaneous removal of Fe, Mg and Si from the glauconite structure to form brucite type sheets. The high contents of Fe2O3 (T) and MgO, reducing porewater and the high thermal maturation of sediments facilitate the formation of chlorite within the Rabanpalli Formation. This study, therefore, indicates that the rarity of glauconite in the Precambrian is related to its alteration to chlorite.

Biofilm microfacies in phosphoritic units of the Neoproterozoic Halkal Shale, Bhima basin, South India

The phosphatic bands of the Halkal Shale of the Neoproterozoic Bhima Basin, record an anoxic paleoenvironment, where only a few episodic depositional events introduced oxygen. In thin-sections, five distinct microfacies, caused by biofilms colonizing the ancient sea floor, can be distinguished. The microfacies document that low sedimentation rate allowed growth of biomass-rich laminae sets, whereas episodic influx of sand led to stacks of organic laminae alternating with fine sandy interlayers. Such depositional events may have also caused local rupture of biofilms and the release of small biofilm roll-ups and clasts. The ancient biofilms led to precipitation of phosphorous and iron-rich minerals and likely contributed to phosphorite formation. In modern equivalent environments, sea floor-colonizing biofilms include a high abundance of sulfide oxidizing and sulphate reducing bacteria.

Remote Sensing Based Assessment of Agricultural Droughts in Sub-Watersheds of Upper Bhima Basin, India

Drought assessment for agricultural sector is vital in order to deal with the water scarcity in Ahmednagar and Pune districts, particularly in sub-watersheds of upper catchment of the River Bhima. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) satellite data (2000, 2002, 2009, 2014, 2015 and 2017) for the years receiving less rainfall have been procured and various indices were computed to understand the intensity of agricultural droughts in the area. Vegetation health index (VHI) is computed on the basis of vegetation moisture, vegetation condition and land surface temperature condition. Most of the reviewed area shows moderate to extreme drought conditions.

Evaluation of Groundwater Quality for Domestic and Irrigation Suitability from Upper Bhima Basin, Western India: A Hydro-geochemical Perspective

Major ion constituents present in groundwater are studied for shallow unconfined basaltic aquifer in order to understand the quality of groundwater resources and its impacts on inhabitants and irrigation. 30 groundwater samples collected from dug wells located in upper Bhima basin were analyzed to measure major cations and anions for establishing water quality index (WQI) and irrigation indices. The concentration of pH, electrical conductivity, total hardness, total dissolved solids and major cations and anions were analyzed. Groundwater types were detected using Piper’s trilinear diagram as Ca2+-HCO3−, Ca2+-Na+-HCO3−, mixed Ca2+-Mg2+-Cl− and Ca2+-Cl− groups. High concentration (8 to 194 mg/L) of nitrate was found at some locations in the region. WQI shows 66% of the samples to be unfit for drinking purposes due to high nitrate content mostly introduced because of the anthropogenic activities. Suitability of groundwater for irrigation purposes was determined using of Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Permeability Index (PI), Kelly Ratio (KR), Magnesium Hazard (MH), Sodium (%) and Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC). Groundwater in the region is suitable for irrigation.

Artificial Neural Network Technique for Statistical Downscaling of Global Climate Model

The nineteenth century, an era of industrialization, witnessed huge utilization of natural resources extensively for the construction activities besides emission of nitrous oxide and methane (green house gases). Rises in the GHG play an important role in the impact on climate change. Rapid and dynamic changes of earth climate have affected human life physically, psychologically, and emotionally. General circulation models (GCMs) are the numerical models developed using a set of linear and nonlinear partial differential equations. Climate and weather forecasting reliability can be possible with the use of GCMs. Statistical downscaling is popular among the research community on an account of building a strong and accurate relationship between GCM and local level information. Among the wide range of regression models, artificial neural network (ANN), a multilinear regression method, is the most popular approach, which works on the basis of transfer function statistically relating predictors and predictands. ANN is developed particularly to address present requirements in global environmental change research and necessitate for more detailed temporal and spatial information from GCM. For the present work, CanCM4 at grid size 2.8° × 2.8° developed by Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis has been chosen based on the skill score. It gives historical data from 1971 to 2005 as well as the data consisted of future simulations by emission scenarios RCP4.5 from 2006 to 2035. The data were extracted to cover the entire Bhima basin with nine grid points. Observed meteorological data provided by Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) are used for calibration and validation of ANN model. Karl Pearson’s coefficient is taken as guideline to test the sensitiveness of predictors. To evaluate the performance of downscaling model, Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient and root-mean-square error performance indices have been adopted. With the good predictor and predictand correlation, the work moves on to investigate the application of the transfer function in the form of statistical downscaling. The downscaled results can be applied to watershed management such as flood and drought management studies of the Bhima basin.

Chemical Analysis of Faunal Remains in Middle Bhima Basin, Maharashtra

Chemical Analysis of Faunal Remains in Middle Bhima Basin, Maharashtra

Probability analysis of annual rainfall and identification of deficit rainfall in left bank canal command of upper Bhima basin of Maharashtra

Probability analysis of annual rainfall and identification of deficit rainfall in left bank canal command of upper Bhima basin of Maharashtra

Depositional history and provenance of cratonic “Purana” basins in southern India: A multipronged geochronology approach to the Proterozoic Kaladgi and Bhima basins

Peninsular India is a collage of Archaean cratonic domains separated by Proterozoic mobile belts. A number of cratonic basins, known as “Purana basins” in the Indian literature, formed in different parts of the Indian Peninsula during extensional tectonic events, from Paleoproterozoic through Neoproterozoic times. In this contribution, we present a diversity of new geochronological data for different units within the Kaladgi and the Bhima basins, which overlie the western and eastern Dharwar cratons, respectively. The new geochronology data are discussed in terms of depositional history and provenance of these poorly understood Proterozoic intracratonic basins. For the Kaladgi Group, a U–Pb baddeleyite age of 1,861 ± 4 Ma obtained for a dolerite dyke intruding the Yendigere Formation is used to constrain the minimum age of deposition of the lower Kaladgi Group. This result demonstrates that this part of the succession is comparable in age to the Papaghni Group of the Cuddapah Basin, heralding onset of Purana sedimentation at ~1,900 Ma. The detrital zircon populations from the clastic rocks of the Kaladgi and Bhima basins show unique and distinct age patterns indicating different source of sediments for these two basins. Palaeocurrent analysis indicates a change in provenance from south or southeast to west or northwest between the Kaladgi and Bhima clastic sedimentation. New U–Th–Pb and Rb–Sr radiometric dates of limestones and glauconite‐bearing sandstones of the Bhima Group (Bhima Basin) and the Badami Group (Kaladgi Basin) indicate deposition at around 800–900 Ma, suggesting contemporaneity for the two successions. Thus, the unconformity between the Kaladgi Group and the overlying Badami Group represents a time gap of up to 1,000 Myr. These new results demonstrate the complex multistage burial and unroofing history of the Archaean Dharwar Craton throughout the Proterozoic, with important implications for exploration of metal deposits and diamonds in Peninsular India.

Improved vegetation parameterization for hydrological model and assessment of land cover change impacts on flow regime of the Upper Bhima basin, India

This study investigates the potential and applicability of variable infiltration capacity (VIC) hydrological model to simulate different hydrological components of the Upper Bhima basin under two different Land Use Land Cover (LULC) (the year 2000 and 2010) conditions. The total drainage area of the basin was discretized into 1694 grids of about 5.5 km by 5.5 km: accordingly the model parameters were calibrated at each grid level. Vegetation parameters for the model were prepared using temporal profile of Leaf Area Index (LAI) from Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and LULC. This practice provides a methodological framework for the improved vegetation parameterization along with region-specific condition for the model simulation. The calibrated and validated model was run using the two LULC conditions separately with the same observed meteorological forcing (1996–2001) and soil data. The change in LULC has resulted to an increase in the average annual evapotranspiration over the basin by 7.8%, while the average annual surface runoff and baseflow decreased by 18.86 and 5.83%, respectively. The variability in hydrological components and the spatial variation of each component attributed to LULC were assessed at the basin grid level. It was observed that 80% of the basin grids showed an increase in evapotranspiration (ET) (maximum of 292 mm). While the majority of the grids showed a decrease in surface runoff and baseflow, some of the grids showed an increase (i.e. 21 and 15% of total grids—surface runoff and baseflow, respectively).

Geochemical Behaviour of LREE, Y and Zr in Uranium Mineralized and Non-Mineralized Granite from Darshanapur Area, in the Gogi-Kurlagere Fault Zone, Bhima Basin, Yadgiri District, Karnataka

Abstract: Granite core samples (n=14) from the Gogi-Kurlagere fault zone in the central part of the Bhima basin were studied in terms of LREE, Y and Zr mobility during uranium mineralization. LREE, Zr and Y along with LILE (Ba, Rb) and P show behavioral differences in the mineralised and the non-mineralised samples. Average ∑LREE in mineralised granite (240 ppm) is higher than in non-mineralised samples (157 ppm). The average Zr and Y in the mineralised granite are 193 ppm and 17 ppm, while the corresponding abundances of these elements in non-mineralised portion are 148 ppm and 11 ppm respectively. Besides enrichment of U, Th, Ba, Pb and Rb and depletion of Sr are observed in mineralized granite in comparison to non-mineralized granite. Hydrothermal alteration has led to the mobility of these elements, which again dependent on the overall geochemical behavior of the migrating fluid. REE and Y in association with uranyl [(UO 2)2+] ion were transported as carbonate complexes like [UO2 (CO3)3]4- and [REE (CO3)3]3- and were later incorporated into favourable structural loci by precipitating minerals like pitchblende and coffinite.

Assessment of adequacy in canal irrigated system for an existing cropping pattern in upper Bhima basin of Maharashtra

Assessment of adequacy in canal irrigated system for an existing cropping pattern in upper Bhima basin of Maharashtra

Probability analysis of rainfall and crop water requirement using CROPWAT model for crop planning in a canal command of upper Bhima Basin of Maharashtra

Rainfall is the most important climatic parameters influencing agriculture in Pune district of Maharashtra. Rainfall of this region is highly variable with respect to space and time and about 80–90% of precipitation falls in monsoon period from June to October resulting in drought and flood situation in the upper Bhima basin of Maharashtra. Therefore, for efficient water resources management, optimal crop planning and also for better understanding of rainfall behavior (i.e., distribution and minimum expected amount during crop growing period) probability analysis of rainfall was conducted. Probability analysis (at 50% and 80%) of monthly rainfall data of 13 raingauge stations of the left bank canal of upper Bhima basin viz., Urali, Loni Karbol, Kasurdi, Tajuproject, Yewat, Dahitane, Bhigwan, Madanwadi, Pondewadi, Kedgaon, Patas, Pimplegaon and Daund for the period from 1975 to 2002 was conducted. Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) has been calculated using climatic parameters like sun shine hour, wind speed, maximum & minimum temperature and rainfall humidity for the period from years 1993–2005 by CROPWAT model. It was found that ETo is maximum (7.72 mm/day) during April and low in December (3.10 mm/day). Effective rainfall of existing rain gauge stations falling in different sub-basins, BM48, BM49, BM50, BM51 and BM68 have been estimated using the CROPWAT model. Finally net irrigation requirement of crops Kharif Cotton, Summer Cotton, Sugarcane and Rabi Sorghum have been find out for all the sub-basin. From this study it has been concluded that, the crop planning in the area, represented by Pimplegoan and Urali stations should be done keeping in mind maximum deficit of 187 mm and 113 mm of water respectively during July. Similarly in other stations maximum deficit of water was observed during September which indicate that while selection of crops for the areas represented by these stations the crops requiring less water during September should be selected.

Study of thermo-hydro-mechanical processes at a potential site of an Indian nuclear waste repository

A detailed scientific study is required for the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes because they generate extremely high heat during their half-life period. Although, several methods have been proposed for the disposal of nuclear wastes, deep underground repository is considered to be a suitable option.In this paper, field investigation has been done near to Bhima basin of peninsular India. Detailed fracture analysis near the borehole shows very prominent maxima of fractures striking N55∘E coinciding with the trace of master basement cover metasediment fault. Physico-mechanical properties of rocks have been determined in the laboratory.The host rock chosen is granite and engineered barrier near the canister is proposed to be clay. A thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) analysis has been done to study the effect of heat on deformations, stresses and pore-pressure variation in granite and clay barriers. For this purpose, finite difference method has been used. Suitable rheological models have been used to model elastic canister and elasto-plastic engineered barrier and host rock. It has been found that both temperature and stresses at any point in the rockmass is below the design criteria which are 100∘C for temperature and 0.2 for damage number.

Chapter 19 Geological history of the Kaladgi–Badami and Bhima basins, south India: sedimentation in a Proterozoic intracratonic setup

Abstract The Proterozoic Kaladgi–Badami and Bhima basins are intracratonic basins occurring over the Archaean Dharwar craton. The Kaladgi–Badami Basin contains arenites, shales and carbonates with minor cherts and conglomerates deposited in continental, transitional and shallow-marine environments presumably during the late Palaeoproterozoic/Mesoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic. The lower part of the succession (Bagalkot Group) is deformed into east–west-trending elongated doubly plunging synclines and anticlines. The upper part of the succession (Badami Group) is undeformed and unconformably overlies the lower part. The evolution of the Kaladgi–Badami Basin was controlled by movements along east–west-trending normal faults under an extensional stress regime. The Bhima Basin hosts mainly limestones with subordinate arenites and shales deposited in fluvial, deltaic and tidal flat environments possibly during the Neoproterozoic. These sediments are undeformed except along faults with significant strike-slip components. The basin is exposed in narrow strips arranged in an en echelon pattern and appears to be a pull-apart basin. Inadequate data exist on the age of the basin fills, the deep basinal architecture, subsidence history and tectonic controls for both of the basins. Future research may be directed towards these aspects which will have wide implications for understanding intracratonic basin formation, reconstructing Proterozoic supercontinents and studying the evolution of the atmosphere and primitive life forms.

Chapter 1 Precambrian basins of India: stratigraphic and tectonic context

The Indian shield represents a vast repository of the Precambrian geological record. The Precambrian sedimentary basins were developed on four major Archaean nuclei (Dharwar, Bastar, Singhbhum and Aravalli–Bundelkhand; Fig. 1.1) and are comparable to those of Australia, South Africa, Canada and Brazil in scale and importance for global studies of Precambrian crustal evolution. Some of the Indian basinal successions, as elsewhere, contain valuable economic resources. Notwithstanding their global relevance, many aspects of the Indian Precambrian basins and even entire basins are not well known to international readers. Although specialist papers, a book (Naqvi & Rogers 1987) and special publications (e.g. Mazumder & Saha 2012) have been written by several authors on specific aspects of the Precambrian geology of India, a comprehensive account of the time–space distribution of the Precambrian supracrustal successions is lacking; in particular, the interrelation between tectonics and sedimentation, and the similarities and dissimilarities of their evolutionary histories with other comparable successions in other parts of the world are yet to be addressed in any detail. The purpose of the present memoir is to fill in this knowledge gap. In addition, the memoir will assess the potential mineral resources of Indian Proterozoic basins and integrate piecemeal information to provide a comprehensive picture of Indian cratonic evolution during the Precambrian. Fig. 1.1. Sketch map showing four Archaean nuclei in India. Note Proterozoic sedimentary basins (dark grey patches) and the large Deccan basaltic province. SGT, Southern Granulite Terrain; NFB, Nallamalai fold belt; CITZ, Central Indian Tectonic Zone; PG, Pranhita Godavari Valley; Ab, Abujhmar Basin; Am, Ampani Basin; Bh, Bhima Basin; Ch, Chattisgarh Basin; Idv, Indravati Basin; Kal, Kaladgi Basin; Suk, Sukma Basin; Ban, Bangalore; Cd, Cuddapah; Hyd, Hyderabad; K, Kurnool; Kh, Khariar; Nel, Nellore; Ong, Ongole; Vij, Vijaywada (after Saha & Mazumder 2012). The content of the memoir has been divided …

Chapter 21 Mineral potential of Proterozoic intracratonic basins in India

Abstract There are three large intracratonic basins (Vindhyan, Cuddapah and Chattisgarh) and several smaller basins (Kaladgi, Bhima, Pakhal, Penganga, Indravati, Khariar, Sabari and Kolhan) covering a large part of peninsular India. They are not known to host any significant metallic resource – except for a substantial uranium resource and Pb–Zn sulphide mineralization in the Cuddapah Basin, uranium in Bhima and Kaladgi basins and manganese in the Penganga sequence – but are nevertheless the repository of vast resources of industrial rocks (limestone, dolomite, phosphorite, aluminous laterite, building materials) and minerals (including pyrite, barite and diamond) in the country. The temporal distribution of these resources indicates a Mesoproterozoic age for all the deposits and occurrences except the uranium deposits in the Vempalle dolostones in the southwestern fringe of the Cuddapah Basin, which are Palaeoproterozoic in age. The Cuddapah Basin is the most intensely mineralized Proterozoic basin, with the Cumbum Formation in the Nallamalai belt hosting stratabound base metals and barite, dated c. 1.6 Ga, all the way from north to south. Potential mineralization, still undiscovered in the basin, is a large SEDEX-type Pb–Zn orebody in the vicinity of the Mangampet barite deposit and unconformity-proximal U deposits in the Kurnool Group, similar to those of the Bhima Basin.

GIS based drainage morphometry and its influence on hydrology in parts of Western Ghats region, Maharashtra, India

Various drainage morphometric parameters in the Upper Bhima river basin and its influence on hydrological processes (e.g. runoff, peak flow, time to peak, infiltration, overland flow, etc.) were discussed using geographical information system (GIS) and remote sensing techniques. Survey of India topographical maps and ASTER digital elevation model was incorporated for thematic database generation and morphometric parameter evaluation in GIS environment. The whole study basin was divided into 8 sub-basins so that the spatial variation of morphological parameters and its influence on hydrology could be analyzed. The interrelationship between morphometric variables were computed (p < 0.05) and presented in a correlation matrix. The study revealed that mean basin slope (), drainage density (), length of overland flow () and basin relief () are closely associated and significantly related with a large number of morphometric variables. Due to close proximity of Western Ghats, sub-basins 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 are highly influenced by slope, as a result, length of overland flow decreases and water immediately follows channel path. In contrast, sub-basins 3, 7 and 8 are relatively flatter, overland flow is relatively longer and favourable for infiltration. This study emphasizes on qualitative description about the hydrological variables influenced by the morphometric parameters in a mountainous basin in western India. Independent morphometric variables were identified from correlation matrix and used in a multiple criteria analysis (MCA) framework for watershed prioritization. Analytical hierarchical process, a MCA technique, identified the highest (sub-basin 4) and lowest (sub-basin 7) priority sub-basins in the Upper Bhima basin. The outcome of the study may be useful for watershed managers and planners while implementing soil and water conservation measures in the region.

Application of GIS and RS for Morphometric Analysis of Upper Bhima Basin: A Case Study

This study presents a morphometric analysis of Upper Bhima Basin (UBB), located in state of Maharahstra, India. Study area is in western part of Maharashtra State, which has a huge socio—economic impact as many towns and metros are emerged as important centres for employment, industrial hubs, and Information Technology (IT) parks. The study focuses only on the morphometric analysis of UBB. Analysis done using ArcGIS software, by digitizing the toposheets, georeferencing them and then analyzing in the GIS environment. The analysis revealed that the basin was of seventh order with dendritic type of drainage pattern. Results revealed that the value of bifurcation ratio Rb lies between 3 and 5. Values of drainage density range from 1.60 to 0.01 km/km2, indicating low drainage density. Average value of drainage density is 0.374 km/km2 for entire basin, so classifying the basin as coarse.

Agricultural groundwater management in the Upper Bhima Basin, India: current status and future scenarios

Abstract. The basaltic aquifers of the Upper Bhima River basin in southern India are heavily utilized for small-scale agriculture but face increasing demand-related pressures along with uncertainty associated with climate change impacts. To evaluate likely groundwater resource impacts over the coming decades, a regional groundwater flow model for the basin was developed. Model predictions associated with different climate change and abstraction scenarios indicate that the continuation of current rates of abstraction would lead to significant groundwater overdraft, with groundwater elevations predicted to fall by −6 m over the next three decades. Groundwater elevations can however be stabilized, but would require 20–30% of the mean surface water discharge from the basin to be recharged to groundwater, along with reductions in pumping (5–10%) brought about by improved water efficiency practices and/or shifts towards lower-water use crops. Modest reductions in pumping alone cannot stabilize groundwater levels; targeted conjunctive use and improved water use efficiency are also needed.