Integration of GIS and Remote Sensing in Groundwater Investigations: A Case Study in Gangajalghati Block, Bankura District, West Bengal, India

• Published in: Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering 2014-07, Vol.39 (7), p.5543-5553
• Main Authors: Nag, S. K., Saha, Sumana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Engineering; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Research Article - Earth Sciences; Science
• ISSN: 1319-8025; 2191-4281
• DOI: 10.1007/s13369-014-1098-3

The present study has been carried out in Gangajalghati Block, Bankura district which is located on the eastern slope of Chotanagpur Plateau. IRS—LISS-III data along with other data sets, e.g. existing toposheets and field observation data have been utilized to extract information on the hydrogeomorphic features which include valley fills (VF), buried pediment moderate, buried pediment shallow and structural hills, lineament density contour and slope map of this area. All the information layers have been integrated through geographical information systems analysis and the groundwater potential zones have been delineated. Weighted overlay modelling technique was used to develop a groundwater potential model with three weighted and scored parameters. Although the area is characterized by hard rock, it has groundwater prospective zones due to fracturing, weathering the presence of VF overlying a planation surface. The area has been categorized into four distinct zones—excellent, good, fair and poor. Excellent groundwater potential zones constitute 10–15 % of the total block area, good groundwater potential zones occupy majority of the block, covering approximately 30–35 % and the fair potential zones occupy about 50–55 % of the total block. Poor potential zones occupy very insignificant portion (less than 1 %).