SpringerLink
Log in

Improvement of groundwater quality due to fresh water ingress in Potharlanka Island, Krishna delta, India

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Geology

Abstract

Hydrochemical study had been carried out on the groundwater resources of Potharlanka Island, Krishna delta, India. Groundwater samples were collected and analyzed at 42 sites in December 2001 and October 2006. A comparative study of hydrochemical data indicates: groundwater is mildly alkaline with a pH of 7.0–8.2; electrical conductivity (EC) varies from 605 to 5,770 μS/cm in December 2001, and 652–5,310 μS/cm in October 2006. More than 62% of the groundwater samples in 2006 have TDS value <2,000 mg/l, which is within permissible limit of potable water, but 57% of the samples in 2001, are higher than the maximum permissible limit. Extremely low HCO3/Cl and variable high Mg/Ca (molar ratios) had been indicated the transformation of the fresh groundwater aquifer systems to saline in 2001. Groundwater of this Island is mainly classified as Na–Cl and mixed types. A high percentage of Na–Cl type of these waters indicates the possibility of seawater ingression/intrusion process during 2001 and comparatively mixed water type indicates the dilution activities of groundwater. Excessive withdrawal of groundwater has caused the increase of saline water intrusion. Improvement of groundwater quality in this Island due to artificial recharge structures made by NGRI under RGNDWM project and affects of the flood due to heavy rainfall of the months of September–October 2005 are discussed in this paper.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Germany)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • APHA (1985) Standard methods for the examination of water and waste. 16th edn. Am pub Health Asso, Washington, DC, p 100

    Google Scholar 

  • Balla D, Redetzky M, Kalettka T, Gabriel O, Quast J (2004) Development of a water quality model for the wetland region Spreewald. Archiv für Naturschutz und Landschaftsforschung 1:77–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Biksham G, Subramanyam V, Griker RV (1991) Heavy metals distribution in the Godavari river regions. Environ Geol Water Sci 17:117–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown E, Skougstad MW, Fishmen MJ (1983) Method for collection and analyzing of water samples for dissolved minerals and gases. US Govt. Printing Office, Washington, DC, p 75

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibert J, Marmonier P, Vanek V, Plenet S (1995) Hydrological exchange and sediment characteristics in a river bank: relationship between heavy metals and invertebrate community structure. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 52:2084–2097

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hem JD (1985) Study and interpretation of the chemical character of natural water, 2nd edn. USGS Water Supply Paper 2254, p 263

  • Hhalil JB, Hanna FS (1984) Changes in the quality of Nile water in Egypt during the twenty-five years, 1954–1979. Irrig Sci 5:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howard KWF, Mullings E (1996) Study of groundwater flow and saline water in the Clarendou Basin, Jamaica. Groundwater 34(5):801–810

    Google Scholar 

  • Karanath KR (1987) Quality of groundwater. In: Karanath KR (eds) Groundwater assessment development and management. Tata McGraw Hill, New Delhi, pp 217–275

    Google Scholar 

  • Malard F, Laurent R, Reygrobellet JL (1996) Impacts physicochimiques et biologiques de l’aménagement des fleuves sur les nappes alluviales: exemple de la retenue du barrage de Génissiat (Ain) dans un secteur encaissé du Rhône. Document BRGM 256, Colloque AIH/GIP Hydrosystème:67–72

  • Mauclaire L, Gilbert J (1998) Effects of pum** and floods on groundwater quality: a case study of the Grand Gravier well field (Rhône, France). Hydrobiologia 389:141–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mercado A (1985) Use of hydrochemical pattern in carbonate, sand and sandstone aquifers to identify intrusion and flushing saline water. Groundwater 23(5):635–645

    Google Scholar 

  • Rai NS (2004) Role of mathematical modeling in groundwater resources management. Sri Vinayaka Enterprises. Hyderabad, pp 434–445

    Google Scholar 

  • Revelle R (1941) Criteria for recognizing seawater in groundwater. Am Geophys Union Trans 22:593–597

    Google Scholar 

  • Saxena VK, Krishna KVSS, Singh VS, Jain SC (2002a) Hydrochemical study for delineation of fresh groundwater region in the Potharlanka, Krishna Delta, India. In: Rao, Reddy, Sarala, Raju (eds) Hydrology and watershed management, Int. conference, JNTU, Hyderabad, vol I. B.S. Publisher, Hyderabad, pp 200–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Saxena VK, Radhakrishna I, Krishna KVSS, Nagini V (2002b) Nitrate pollution in groundwater, Krishna delta. In: Thangarajan M, Rai SN, Singh VS (eds) Proc. Int. GWC. Dindigul. Oxford & IBH, New Delhi, pp 261–269

    Google Scholar 

  • Saxena VK, Mondal NC, Singh VS (2004) Evaluation of hydro-geochemical parameters to delineate fresh groundwater potential zones in coastal aquifers. J Appl Geochem 6(2):245–254

    Google Scholar 

  • Saxena VK, Singh VS, Mondal NC, Maurya AK (2005) Quality of groundwater from Neil Island, Andaman & Nicobar, India. J Appl Geochem 7(2):201–206

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwarzenbach RP, Giger W, Hoehn E, Schneider JK (1983) Behavior of organic compounds during infiltration of river water to groundwater-field studies. Environ Sci Technol 17:472–479

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh VS, Saxena VK, Prakash BA, Mondal NC, Jain SC (2004) Augmentation of groundwater resources in saline ingress coastal deltaic area. NGRI-Tech. Report. No. NGRI-2004-GW-422, pp 1–61

  • Subba Rao N (2002) Geochemistry of groundwater in parts of Guntur Dist., A.P., India. Environ Geol 41:552–562

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vanek V (1995) Water flows through the river Rhône sediments near Lyon, their effect on groundwater chemistry and biology. Folia Fac. Sci. Nat. Univ. Masarykianae Brunensis, Biologia (91):149–157

  • Villholth KG, Manamperi ASP, Buergi N (2006) Chemical characteristics of Tsunami-affected groundwater and lagoon on the east coast of Sri Lanka, In: 32nd WEDC International Conference, Colombo, Sri Lanka on “Sustainable development of water resources, water supply and environmental sanitation”, pp 334–340

  • Von Guten HR, Kull TP (1986) Infiltration of inorganic compounds from the Glatt river, Switzerland, into a groundwater aquifer. Water Air Soil Pollut 29:333–346

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Dr. V.P. Dimri, Director, NGRI, Hyderabad has permitted to publish this paper. Mr. Somvir Singh has helped for data collection in the field. Nitya Aqua Technologies, Hyderabad has analysised the groundwater samples. RGNDWM and CSIR, New Delhi have funded to carry out research works. The anonymous reviewers have also provided the valuable suggestions to improve the manuscript. Authors are thankful to them.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Geophysical Research Institute, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500 007, India

    N. C. Mondal, V. S. Singh, V. K. Saxena & R. K. Prasad

Authors
  1. N. C. Mondal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. V. S. Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. V. K. Saxena
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. K. Prasad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to N. C. Mondal.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mondal, N.C., Singh, V.S., Saxena, V.K. et al. Improvement of groundwater quality due to fresh water ingress in Potharlanka Island, Krishna delta, India. Environ Geol 55, 595–603 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-1010-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-1010-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation