Abstract
The area lies between Hugli river in the northwest and Bidyadhari river in the east and includes the East Kolkata Wetlands. The East Kolkata Wetlands is included in the List of Wetlands of International Importance (“Ramsar List”), as per the Convention on Wetlands signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. This wetland has been declared as a Ramsar site on the 19th August 2002 (Ramsar site no. 1208) and therefore has acquired an international status. The area is a part of the lower deltaic plain of the Bhagirathi–Ganga river system and is generally flat in nature. The sub-surface geology of the area is completely blanketed by the Quaternary fluviatile sediments comprising a succession of clay, silty clay, sand and sand mixed with occasional gravel. The Quaternary aquifer is sandwiched between two clay sequences. The confined aquifer is made up of moderately well sorted sand and reflects fluviatile environment of deposition. The regional groundwater flow direction is from east to west. Detailed geochemical investigations of 40 groundwater samples along with statistical analysis (for example, correlation and principal component analysis) on these chemical data reveal: (i) four types of groundwater quality, for example, good, poor, very poor and water unsuitable for drinking purpose, (ii) four hydrochemical facies which may be assigned to three broad types such as “fresh”, “blended”, and “brackish” waters, (iii) the evolution of the “blended” water is possibly due to hydraulic mixing of “fresh” and “brackish” waters within the aquifer matrix and/or in well mixing, and (iv) absence of Na–Cl facies indicates continuous flushing of the aquifer.
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The authors convey thanks to Prof. Ashoke K Dutta, Director, Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management for giving permission to publish this paper. The authors also acknowledge the help and encouragement rendered by Professor Swastik Misra, Head, Public Systems Management, Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, and for the help rendered by Mr. Surajit Chakraborty, JRF in preparation of the maps. The first author is thankful to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India for their financial assistance.
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Sahu, P., Sikdar, P.K. Hydrochemical framework of the aquifer in and around East Kolkata Wetlands, West Bengal, India. Environ Geol 55, 823–835 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-1034-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-1034-x