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Hydrogeochemistry of the Koyna River basin, India

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Abstract

Hydrogeochemistry of the Koyna River basin, famous for the Koyna earthquake (magnitude 7) of 1967, has been studied. Basalt is the primary aquifer; laterites, alluvium, and talus deposits form aquifers of secondary importance. Groundwater generally occurs under water table conditions in shallow aquifers. Deeper aquifers are associated only with basalts. One hundred and 87 water samples were collected from various sources, such as dugwells, borewells, springs, and surface water, including 40 samples for analysis of iron. Only major constituents were analyzed. Analyses show that the concentrations of Ca2+ exceed that of Mg2+ in almost all water samples; the concentrations of Na+ are generally next to Ca2+ and are always higher than that of K+; and CO3 2– and SO4 2– are very low and are often negligible. Groundwater in borewells tapping deeper aquifers has higher mineralization compared to that in dugwells representing shallow aquifers. Majority of the water samples are dominated by alkaline earths (Ca2+, Mg2+) and weak acids (HCO3 −, CO3 2–). Groundwater from shallow aquifers is generally calcium-bicarbonate type (53%) and calcium-magnesium-bicarbonate type (27%). In case of deeper aquifer, it is mostly calcium-magnesium-bicarbonate type (29%), sodium-bicarbonate type (24%), calcium-bicarbonate type (19%), calcium-magnesium-sodium-bicarbonate type (19%) and sodium-calcium-bicarbonate type (9%). Groundwater water is generally fit for drinking and irrigation purposes, except in the lower reaches of the Koyna River basin, which is affected by near water logging conditions.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the people of the Koyna River basin for their cooperation in the field studies. Thanks are also due to Central Ground Water Board, Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India, for providing necessary field support and facilities. All the analyses were carried out in the chemical laboratory of Central Ground Water Board, Central Region, Nagpur, India. Views expressed in the paper are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of their affiliated departments.

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  1. Pradeep Kumar Naik

    Present address: , P.O. Box No. 30490, Budaiya, Kingdom of Bahrain

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Ground Water Board, Central Region, N.S. Building, Civil Lines, Nagpur, 440001, India

    Pradeep Kumar Naik

  2. Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, 247667, India

    A. K. Awasthi

  3. Central Ground Water Board, A.P. State Unit Office, 50-50-29/7, Balayya Sastry Layout, Seetammadhara, Vishakhapatnam, 530013, India

    A. V. S. S. Anand

  4. Department of Geology, Utkal University, Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar, 751004, India

    P. N. Behera

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Naik, P.K., Awasthi, A.K., Anand, A.V.S.S. et al. Hydrogeochemistry of the Koyna River basin, India. Environ Earth Sci 59, 613–629 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0059-8

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