CS(AR)-26/99-2000 : Representative Basin Studies: Hydrogeological and Geochemical studies of Groundwater Flow in Suddagedda Basin

Abstract

Planning of water resources development projects makes it necessary to understand and analyse the hydrological characteristics of the region. If it is a groundwater resources development project then the hydrogeology and geochemistry of the basin need to be investigated.

The Regional Centre at Kakinada has identified the Suddagedda as representative basin along the Andhra coast and in collaboration with the State Ground Water Department has initiated investigations to undertake the water balance of the basin. In this direction so far monthly groundwater levels and seasonal groundwater quality at about 15 observation wells are monitored; double ring infiltrometer experiments, Guelph permeameter tests, grain size distribution tests of soils etc., are being carried out in the basin.

In this study the water level and quality data collected in all the 15 Observation wells is analysed on the water year basis from June to May for three years 1996-97,1997-98 and 1998-99 as part of hydrogeological and geochemistry studies of the groundwater flow in the Suddagedda basin.

The study resulted in understanding the groundwater level variation in different parts of the basin and to identify places where fluctuation is very high. Also the geochemical analysis has classified the groundwater into 6 groups in the study area.

The data and analysis of the hydrogeology and geochemistry of the basin will be useful and will give a direction for undertaking groundwater balance and modelling studies of the study area in future.