Content area
Full Text
Environ Earth Sci (2010) 61:15871597 DOI 10.1007/s12665-010-0472-z
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
GIS based spatial distribution mapping and suitability evaluation of groundwater quality for domestic and agricultural purposein Kaithal district, Haryana state, India
Sanjay Kumar Goyal B. S. Chaudhary
Omvir Singh G. K. Sethi Praveen K. Thakur
Received: 30 July 2009 / Accepted: 11 January 2010 / Published online: 4 February 2010 Springer-Verlag 2010
Abstract Groundwater is a major resource for meeting huge domestic and agricultural requirements of Kaithal district in Haryana. Therefore, evaluation of its quality in terms of suitability for domestic and agricultural sectors is necessary for sustainable management of the resource. The present study has analyzed pre- and post-monsoon physico-chemical data of groundwater samples from bore wells spread over the entire district. Spatial distribution maps were generated for hydrogen ion concentration, total dissolved solids, total hardness, electrical conductivity, sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate and percent sodium using the geographic information system. Furthermore, the study area was demarcated into different groundwater quality zones for domestic and agricultural use by applying various national and international standards. It was observed from the study that the groundwater was predominantly hard, alkaline and saline in nature. However, it was within safe limits for domestic use. Further, it was also experienced from the analysis that in about two-third parts of the district, groundwater was in
desirable-to-permissible quality class for agricultural use but hazardous for soil as well as for crops in the remaining part. Also, a moderation in water quality was observed after the monsoon season, which can be attributed to a possible dilution due to groundwater recharge.
Keywords Groundwater quality Kaithal GIS
Spatial distribution Domestic India
Introduction
The demand for fresh water has increased signicantly throughout the world due to population growth, socioeconomic development, technological and climatic changes (Alcamo et al. 2007). Groundwater is a replenishable resource which is used for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes in most parts of the world. The suitability of groundwater for a particular use depends upon its quality, which is determined by solutes and gases dissolved as well as matter suspended or oating in it (Todd and Mays 2005). The lack of clean drinking water is adversely affecting the general health and life expectancy of the people in many developing countries (Nash and...