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Groundwater dynamics and balance in the western part of greater Kushtia district of Bangladesh

  • Environmental Engineering
  • Published:
KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering Aims and scope

Abstract

Groundwater dynamics and balance have been studied for the assessment of groundwater abstraction status in the western part of grater Kushtia district, Bangladesh using data from 28 groundwater level monitoring wells, 180 lithologs, and one rainfall station for the period 2001-2007. The groundwater levels in the study area were found to vary at a depth between 0.0 m and 9.34 m. During peak season of groundwater abstraction (pre-monsoon), the maximum and minimum groundwater level with respect to mean sea level (MSL) were found to vary from 9.36 to 11.3 m and 2.3 to 4.9 m, respectively, whereas in post-monsoon these values were found to vary from 13.2 to 15.6 m and 7.6 to 9.6 m, respectively. The groundwater flow in the area was driven by topography, directed from the northwest to the southeast. This study revealed a declining trend in groundwater table both in pre- and post-monsoon seasons in the area. It has also been noticed that the rate of declination is increasing with time. The volumetric analysis of groundwater also showed a net negative balance, which indicates overexploitation of groundwater. The study concluded that the unsustainable utilization of groundwater resources in the study area has caused depletion in groundwater table.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Applied Physics, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Islamic University, Kushtia, 7003, Bangladesh

    M. Nozibul Haque

  2. Dept. of Applied Physics and Electronic Engineering, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh

    Mumnunul Keramat

  3. Dept. of Hydraulics and Hydrology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

    Shamsuddin Shahid & Morteza Mohsenipour

  4. State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing, China

    Xiao-Jun Wang

  5. Research Center for Climate Change, Ministry of Water Resources, Nanjing, China

    Xiao-Jun Wang

Authors
  1. M. Nozibul Haque
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  2. Mumnunul Keramat
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  3. Shamsuddin Shahid
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  4. Morteza Mohsenipour
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  5. Xiao-Jun Wang
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Correspondence to Morteza Mohsenipour.

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Haque, M.N., Keramat, M., Shahid, S. et al. Groundwater dynamics and balance in the western part of greater Kushtia district of Bangladesh. KSCE J Civ Eng 21, 1595–1606 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-016-0801-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-016-0801-1

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