Abstract
Over-exploitation of groundwater results in decline of water levels, leading to intrusion of salt water along the coastal region, which is a natural phenomenon. A groundwater quality survey has been carried out to assess such phenomena along the coast of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. Brackish groundwaters are observed in most of the wells. The rest of the wells show a fresh water environment. The factors responsible for the brackish groundwater quality with respect to the influence of seawater are assessed, using the standard ionic ratios, such as Ca2+:Mg2+, TA:TH and Cl−:HCO− 3. Results suggest that the brackish nature in most of the groundwaters is not due to the seawater influence, but is caused by the hydrogeochemical process. Some influence of seawater on the groundwater quality is observed along the rock fractures. The combined effect of seawater and urban wastewaters is due to the inferior quality of groundwater in a few wells, where they are at topographic lows close to the coast.
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Rao, N.S., Nirmala, I.S. & Suryanarayana, K. Groundwater quality in a coastal area: a case study from Andhra Pradesh, India. Environ Geol 48, 543–550 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-1306-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-1306-2