Ground Water Hydrology
Ground Water Hydrology
Ground Water Hydrology
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analogies. Transient groundwater flow is analogous to the diffusion of heat in a solid, therefore some
solutions to hydrological problems have been adapted from heat transfer literature.
Traditionally, the movement of groundwater has been studied separately from surface water,
climatology, and even the chemical and microbiological aspects of hydrogeology (the processes are
uncoupled). As the field of hydrogeology matures, the strong interactions between groundwater, surface
water, water chemistry, soil moisture and even climate are becoming more clear.
California and Washington both require special certification of hydrogeologists to offer
professional services to the public. Twenty-nine states require professional licensing for geologists to offer
their services to the public, which often includes work within the domains of developing, managing, and/or
remediating groundwater resources.
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1.2 OBJECTIVES OF GROUNDWATER HYDROLOGY:
• Nearly 50% of the population of the india uses ground water for its drinking water supply.
• 30% of stream flow in the India is derived from groundwater discharging to the stream.
• Many aquifers are mined.
• Reduce rainfall from global warming is predicated to increase the need for groundwater.
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CHAPTER-2
LITERATURE REVIEW
GENERAL:
Ground water is an importance source of water supply for municipalities, agriculture and industry.
Therefore the capability to predict the behaviour of chemical contaminates in flowing ground water is of
vital importance for
a) The reliable assessment of hazardous or risks arising from ground water contamination problems,
b) The design of efficient and effective techniques to mitigate them.
The most challenging problems associated with ground water contamination are :-
a) To prevent the introduction of contaminations in an aquifer.
b) To predict their movement if they are introduced.
c) To remove them, to some extent in order to protect the biosphere effectively.
Groundwater contamination studies generally include: -
1. The scientific understanding of physical, chemical and biological processes controlling fate and
movement of contaminants in the subsurface environment;
2. The mathematical representation in the transport models to predict the contaminant movement;
3. The determination of different model parameters in the field and the laboratory using different
methods;
4. The development of management models to control or prevent introduction of contaminants and to
determine the methodology for the safe disposal of hazardous wastes.
Once the water reaches the ground, one of two processes may occur;
(1) some of the water may evaporate back into the atmosphere or
(2) the water may penetrate the surface and become groundwater.
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Groundwater either seeps its way to into the oceans, rivers, and streams, or is released back
into the atmosphere through transpiration. The balance of water that remains on the earth’s surface is
runoff, which empties into lakes, rivers and streams and is carried back to the oceans, where the cycle
begins again.
1) ORIGIN: -
Most of the Groundwater occurring below the surface is derived from the following three
sources:
(a) Meteoric Water
(b) Connate Water
(c) Magmatic water
a) METEORIC WATER:–
It is derived from recent or modern atmospheric precipitation by mainly rain and snow, which
provide surface and sub-surface runoff rivers, streams and creeks. A considerable part of precipitation
gradually infiltrates into the ground. This infiltrated water continues its journey till it reaches the zone of
Saturation to become a part of the groundwater in the aquifer. Almost entire water obtained from the
ground water belongs to this category. Depending upon the continuity and /or discontinuity of the aquifers
based on stratigraphy, sedimentology, structural dip, directions of cleat and fracture systems, groundwater
develops either local or regional flow.
Water may also be contributed to the groundwater by surface water bodies (which themselves
are supplied by precipitation) such as rivers, lakes and seas. In the case of streams this happens when the
water table is lower than the water level in the stream. Such streams are often referred as Influent Streams.
A reverse condition is also common when groundwater nourishes a stream; in this case water table is
higher than the level of water in the stream and such streams are called as Effluent streams.
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Fig. 2.3 Meteoric Water
b) CONNATE WATER:–
This is the water present in the rocks right from the time of their deposition in an aqueous
environment. During the process of formation of sedimentary rocks in a lake or sea or river, deposition is
followed by compaction, which leads to the squeezing out of most of the water present between the
sediments. Sometimes however incomplete compaction may cause retention of some water by these rocks
this is the connate water and may be encountered in sedimentary rocks like Limestones, sandstones and
gravels. This water is highly saline and mineralised and is of no importance as a source for exploitable
groundwater.
c) JUVENILE WATER:–
Also called Magmatic Water . Water formed in the cracks or crevices or pores of rocks due to
condensation of stram emanating from hot molten masses or magmas existing below the surface of the
earth.
2)DISTRIBUTION: -
The water that goes below the surface of the land may be found to exist in two main zones
namely as Vadosezone and Saturation zone
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Fig.2.4 Zone of interconnected Openings
i. MOISTURE ZONE:
The soil moisture zone forms a thin layer of depth 1to 9 metres held up by the root zone of
vegetable cover and soil chemicals. This water is very important for the life and growth of the vegetable
cover of the globe. It is lost to the atmosphere by transpiration and evaporation.
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ii. SATURATION ZONE:-
The water held up in this zone is called groundwater in real sense. The upper surface of water in
the zone marks the water table in the area. The layers or bodies of rocks which are porous and permeable,
have all their open spaces such as pores, cavities, cracks, etc. completely filled with groundwater. All these
openings are thoroughly interconnected saturated rock mass, called the aquifer.
2.4 GROUNDWATER RECHARGE: -
Deep drainage or deep percolation is a hydrologic process, where water moves downward from
surface water to groundwater. Recharge is the primary method through which water enters an aquifer. This
process usually occurs in the vadose zone below plant roots and, is often expressed as a flux to the water
table surface. Groundwater recharge also encompasses water moving away from the water table farther
into the saturated zone. Recharge occurs both naturally (through the water cycle) and through
anthropogenic processes ("artificial groundwater recharge"), where rainwater and or reclaimed water is
routed to the subsurface.
2.5 GROUND WATER DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA: -
The total annual replenishable ground water resources of the country have been assessed as 433
billion cubic meter (BCM). Existing gross ground water draft as on March 2004 for all uses is
231 BCM per year. The stage of ground water development is about 58%.
The development of ground water in different areas of the country has not been uniform. Highly
intensive development of ground water in certain areas in the country has resulted in over exploitation
leading to decline in the levels of ground water and sea water intrusion in coastal areas. There is a
continuous increase in dark and over-exploited areas in the country.
As per the latest assessment of ground water resources carried out jointly by the Central Ground
Water Board (CGWB) and the States, the assessment units are categorized as 'over exploited'/'critical' and
'semi-critical' based on the stage of ground water development and the long-term water level declining
trend during the past decade (1995-2004). Out of 5,723 assessment units (Blocks/Mandals/Talukas) in the
country, 839 units in various.
States have been categorized as 'over exploited', i.e., the annual ground water extraction exceeds
the annual replenishable resource. In addition, 226 units are 'critical', i.e., the stage of ground water
development is above 90 per cent and less than 100 per cent of annual replenishable resource with
significant decline in long term water level trend in both pre-monsoon and post-monsoon period.
2.6 GROUND WATER POTENTIAL IN INDIA:
The total annual replenishable ground water resources of the Country have been reassessed as 433
Billion Cubic Meters (BCM) and the net annual ground water availability is estimated as 399 BCM. The
stage of ground water development is around 6
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The development of ground water in different areas of the country has not been uniform. Highly
intensive development of ground water in certain areas in the country has resulted in over exploitation
leading to decline in the levels of ground water and sea water intrusion in coastal areas.
There is a continuous growth in dark and overexploited areas in the country
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CHAPTER-3
OVER VIEW OF GROUNDWATER HYDROLOGY
The question arises why groundwater is so important in today’s world where water scarcity
becoming ubiquitous. The following few points demonstrate the need and importance of groundwater:
• availability of water at the point of need,
• relatively low costs compared to surface water,
• availability in most of the areas worldwide,
• potable to a large extent and do not require treatment,
• water scarcity in many parts of the world motivates the use of groundwater during dry seasons
Groundwater also plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance and environment
through maintaining water at a minimum required level in rivers and other water bodies. Groundwater also
plays a very important role in maintaining navigation through inland waters in the drier seasons.
Rainwater infiltrates in the ground through the soil pores and stored in water bearing strata
below the ground, which is called aquifer. Aquifers are composed of different materials like
unconsolidated sands and gravels, permeable rocks such as sandstone, limestone, fractured volcanic and
crystalline rocks, etc.
Water moves through interconnected spaces within these rocks and such a property makes
them permeable. Portion of the rocks in which voids are filled with water is called saturated zone of
aquifer. Depth of water in saturated zone of aquifer from the ground is called water table. The water table
ranges from shallow (few meter below the ground) to deep (few hundred meters deep). Flow of upon
hydraulic gradient and normally flow takes places under gravity exact groundwater in the aquifer is a
function of aquifer characteristics.
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Water source Water Water volume, Percent of Percent of
volume, In cubic kilometres freshwater total water
in cubic miles
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3.1 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF AQUIFER:-
Aquifers differ in their geological composition and physical characteristics. Most important aquifer
properties are storage capacity and transmissivity. Physical characteristics of aquifer depend upon shape,
size, and packing of the grains. Some important characteristics of aquifers are as follows -
Porosity:-
Porosity is a measure of available voids in percentage in a soil/rocky formation in which water can
be stored. It can be defined as the ratio of voids to the total volume of a soil or rock. It can be represented
in fraction or percentage.
ή = Vv /Vt
where, ή is the porosity, Vt is the total volume and Vv is volume of voids in the soil or rock. Porosity is
one of the important aquifer property which indicates the maximum amount of water that an aquifer store,
when it is saturated. Porosity depends on grain size, shape and their arrangement but not on the size of
grains.
Permeability: -
Permeability (K) is the ability of an aquifer to transmit water through its voids under a hydraulic
gradient. It can be defined as the flow per unit cross-sectional area of the aquifer when subjected to a unit
hydraulic head per unit length of flow (i.e., per unit hydraulic gradient) and has the dimension of velocity,
i.e., L/T. The permeability depends upon the grain size distribution, porosity, shape and arrangement of
pores, properties of the pore fluid and entrapped air or gas.
FINE (SILT-CLAY)
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1. Specific Yield:-
The percentage volume of water with respect to total volume of water stored in the saturated aquifer,
which can be drained by gravity is called the specific yield Sy and the volume of water retained by
molecular and surface tension forces, against the force of gravity as a percentage of the total volume of
the saturated aquifer, is called specific retention Sr and corresponds to field capacity.
Specific yield is the water removed from unit volume of aquifer by pumping or drainage and is
expressed as percentage volume of aquifer. Specific yield depends upon particle size , shape,
arrangements of pores and compaction of the formation. The values of specific yield for alluvial aquifers
vary from 10 to 20% and for uniform sands about 30%.
2. Storage Coefficient:-
Storage coefficient of an aquifer is the volume of water drained from a unit volume of aquifer as
water level falls by a unit depth (1 m). For unconfined aquifers (water table conditions), the storage
coefficient is the same as specific yield, whereas the storage coefficient for confined aquifers ranges from
0.00005 to 0.005 and for water table aquifers from 0.05 to 0.30.
3. Specific Capacity:-
Specific capacity of a well is defined as the discharge from the well per unit drawdown. This is a
measure of the performance of a well.
4. Safe Yield:-
Safe yield from a well is the amount of water that can be economically withdrawn from the well in
the foreseeable future without causing depletion of the aquifer. Groundwater withdrawal from a
groundwater field should be planned (spacing, location and yield) in such a way that withdrawal is not
more than recharge without over exploitation.
5. Hydraulic Conductivity:-
Hydraulic conductivity of soil is a measure of its ability to transmit water under a given hydraulic
gradient. Hydraulic conductivity is the proportionality coefficient in Darcy’s law. In a saturated flow
conditions the velocity of the flow in the porous media is directly proportional to the hydraulic gradient.
This coefficient of proportionality is a constant with unit of velocity (M.T–1) and is named as hydraulic
conductivity (K).
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6. Transmissivity:-
Transmissivity measures the extent to which a reduction in groundwater level due to pumping at a
particular point is transmitted to rest of the aquifer. The coefficient of transmissibility (T) is the discharge
per unit width and entire depth of a saturated aquifer under a unit hydraulic gradient and is usually
expressed as lpd/m or m2/sec. It is the product of permeability (K) and saturated thickness of the aquifer
(b); T = Kb and has the dimensions L2/T.
7. Groundwater Flow:-
There are two basic equations which governs the flow through porous media. These are (a) Darcy’s
law and (b) Continuity equation (law of mass conservation.
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3.2.2 BORE WELLS AT LOCATED ARENA:
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3.2.3 CHECK DAMS AND MI TANKS: -
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3.3GROUNDWATER DETAILS: -
3.3.1 VILLAGE GROUNDWATER ASSESSMENT: -
District Nellore
Mandal Kavali
Village Rudrakota
Suitability Suitable
OE Village Notified -
Name Kavali-1-GW
District: Nellore
Mandal: KAVALI
Lat: 14.91
Long: 79.97
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3.3.4 GROUNDWATER RISE AND FALL LEVELS:-
Sno Site Id Mand Piezo Aug- Nov- May- Jul-19 Aug- Rise(
al meter 18 18 19 19 +)/Fal
Locati 24/08 24/08/ l(-)
on /2018 2019 from
(Villag curren
e) t
water
level
and
with
refere
nce to
55 20725 Kavali Kavali 12 9.147 14.68 14.80 16.25 -4.259 -7.112 -1.576 -1.451
3 8 9
30 20805 Kaval Chela 10.5 11.19 13.68 14.92 15.59 -5.092 -4.402 -1.908 -0.667
i m 4 5 2
Cherla
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CHAPTER-4
CONCLUSION
• Groundwater is one of the important components of the hydrological cycle.
• Groundwater constitutes a significant proportion of the freshwater available on the
earth surface.
• Groundwater also remains in interaction with surface water system through
groundwater recharge from rainfall through infiltration and from rivers and water
bodies.
• Groundwater may also contribute to the streams and waterbodies in case of adverse
hydraulic gradient.
• Groundwater bearing formations/ rocks are called aquifers.
• Movement of groundwater in aquifer is a function of aquifer characteristics like
porosity, transmissivity, specific yield and storage capacity etc.
• Correct groundwater system characterization, conceptualization is necessary for
correct assessment of groundwater resources.
• There are various methods and models are available to describe the groundwater
behaviour under different type of external influences i.e., recharge and withdrawal
stresses.
• Groundwater assessment and management is very vital for sustainable water
resources of an areana at RUDRAKOTA- KAVALI.
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CHAPTER- 5
REFERENCE
1 Bouwer, Herman, 1978, Groundwater hydrology :New York,McGrawHill,
2 Central Water Commission (2015) Annual Report 2013-14, CWC, Ministry of
Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, 1-180.
3 National Research council (1996) Rock fractures and fluid flow: contemporary
understanding and Applications, National Academies Press.
4 Introduction to ground water hydrology Worthington, Ohio.
5 Todd, D. K., 1980, Groundwater Hydrology.
6 WWW.APWRIMS.AP.GOV.IN
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