Assessment of Groundwater Quality for Irrigation Use and Evaluate the Feasibility Zones through Geospatial Technology in Lower Bhavani Sub Basin, Cauvery River, Tamil Nadu, India
S. Venkateswaran1, S. Vediappan2
1S.Venkateswaran, Department of Geology, Periyar University, Salem (Tamil Nadu), India.
2S.Vediappan, Department of Geology, Periyar University, Salem (Tamil Nadu), India.
Manuscript received on 10 July 2013 | Revised Manuscript received on 18 July 2013 | Manuscript Published on 30 July 2013 | PP: 180-187 | Volume-3 Issue-2, July 2013 | Retrieval Number: B1045073213/13©BEIESP
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: The present work is employed in Lower Bhavani sub-basin (study area 2424.19 sq.km), major portion of the study area fall in Erode District and small portion in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu and India. The 50 groundwater samples were collected from during pre monsoon (May) 2011 and were analysed for major cations and anions EC, pH and TDS. The irrigational parameters like; EC, Kelley’s ratio, SAR values, Mghazards, HCO3 and RSC have been worked out to know the suitability of the groundwater for irrigational purpose. Wilcox diagram indicates that out of 50 samples, 33 samples belong to good to permissible category and Doneen diagram revealed that 100% of the groundwater samples fall in Class I. The plotting of SAR values in USSL diagram indicates that all the samples have low SAR value. Out of 50 samples 41 samples in C3 -S1 field. This implies that no alkali hazard is anticipated to the crops. 41 Location (82%) samples occurred within C3–S1 category. This category is suitable for irrigations purposes. However, the concentration of bicarbonate was in significant amount showing 54% of sites under “increasing problem” and the 44% sites under “Severe Problem” zones. Finally above said results are taken into GIS platform. To understand the spatial distribution of unsuitable zones, ArcGIS was employed. The present work reveals that groundwater in the Lower Bhavani sub-basin area is of good quality and is suitable for all uses including interbrain water transfer in the region.
Keywords: Irrigation, Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR), Sodium Percentage, Doneen’s Diagram, Geographic Information System (GIS), Spatial Distribution Map, Cauvery River.
Scope of the Article: Quality Control