Assessment of groundwater quality in Baddi catchment, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

Groundwater samples (18-54 m depth) from 13 locations were collected and analyzed for major anions and cations. The analyzed hydro-chemical data formed the attribute database to identify hydro-geochemical processes occurring in the study area and its relation to groundwater quality. The water type in the study area is of Ca–Cl, Mg-Cl, Na-Cl, Ca- HCO3, Mg- HCO3, Na-HCO3 type. It was found that the general hydro-geochemistry of groundwater in the study area is dominated by the processes such as carbonate weathering, ion-exchange, and dissolution. Thus, hydro-geochemistry of a region can be well understood using conventional graphical methods and this well help in consumptive use water resources management in the study area.