Your search found 8 records
1 Natarajan, Rajmohan; Prathapar, Sanmugam A. 2013. Hydrogeology of the eastern Ganges Basin: an overview. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 42p. (IWMI Working Paper 157) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2013.216]
Hydrogeology ; Petrology ; River basins ; Groundwater potential ; Groundwater development ; Groundwater irrigation ; Water resources ; Water quality ; Contamination ; Alluvium ; Arsenic ; Fluorides ; Sediment ; Water availability ; Water use ; Agriculture ; Rain ; Aquifers ; Wells ; Flow discharge ; Water level ; Models / India / Bangladesh / Nepal / Ganges River / Bihar / West Bengal / Jharkhand / Bihar
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H046284)
(830.25 KB)
The Ganges Basin is a part of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) River Basin and is one of the most populated (600 million) river basins in the world. This study focuses on the Eastern Ganges Basin (EGB) and covers India (Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal), Bangladesh and the Nepal Terai. Poverty is acute in the EGB, where household incomes are low, food security is not assured and devastating floods (and also water shortages) occur too often. The EGB is underlain by one of the most prolific aquifers in the world. Yet, farmers struggle to cope with dry spells and droughts because of their inability to access groundwater. Huge untapped groundwater, surplus surface water, and enormous plains and fertile lands highlight the requirement of proper planning for groundwater management and governance to reduce poverty and assure food security. The aim of this report is to assist planners/policymakers in the planning and management of groundwater resources in the EGB. This report mainly discusses about hydrogeology, groundwater potential and challenges, and groundwater quality issues in the EGB. Moreover, it is an attempt to form a base for future work related to groundwater development, management and modeling in this basin.
2 Natarajan, Rajmohan; Prathapar, Sanmugam A.; Jayaprakash, M.; Nagarajan, R. 2014. Vertical distribution of heavy metals in soil profile in a seasonally waterlogging agriculture field in eastern Ganges Basin. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 186(9):5411-5427. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3790-x]
Soil profiles ; Heavy metals ; Waterlogging ; Soil pollution ; Sediment ; Contamination ; Clay ; Sandy soils / India / Bihar / Ganges River
(Location: IWMI Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046446)
(0.59 MB)
The accumulation of heavy metals in soil and water is a serious concern due to their persistence and toxicity. This study investigated the vertical distribution of heavy metals, possible sources and their relation with soil texture in a soil profile from seasonally waterlogged agriculture fields of Eastern Ganges basin. Fifteen samples were collected at ~0.90-m interval during drilling of 13.11 mbgl and analysed for physical parameters (moisture content and grain size parameters: sand, silt, clay ratio) and heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Co, Ni and Cd). The average metal content was in the decreasing order of Fe>Mn>Cr>Zn>Ni>Cu>Co>Pb>Cd. Vertical distribution of Fe, Mn, Zn and Ni shows more or less similar trends, and clay zone records high concentration of heavy metals. The enrichment of heavy metals in clay zone with alkaline pH strongly implies that the heavy metal distributions in the study site are effectively regulated by soil texture and reductive dissolution of Fe and Mn oxy-hydroxides. Correlation coefficient analysis indicates that most of the metals correlate with Fe, Mn and soil texture (clay and silt). Soil quality assessment was carried out using geoaccumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF) and contamination factor (CF). The enrichment factor values were ranged between 0.66 (Mn) and 2.34 (Co) for the studied metals, and the contamination factor values varied between 0.79 (Mn) and 2.55 (Co). Results suggest that the elements such as Cu and Co are categorized as moderate to moderately severe contamination, which are further confirmed by Igeo values (0.69 for Cu and 0.78 for Co). The concentration of Ni exceeded the effects-range median values, and the biological adverse effect of this metal is 87 %. The average concentration of heavy metals was compared with published data such as concentration of heavy metals in Ganga River sediments, Ganga Delta sediments and upper continental crust (UCC), which apparently revealed that heavy metals such as Fe, Mn, Cr, Pb, Zn and Cd are influenced by the dynamic nature of flood plain deposits. Agricultural practice and domestic sewage are also influenced on the heavy metal content in the study area.
3 Natarajan, Rajmohan; Prathapar, Sanmugam A. 2014. Extent of arsenic contamination and its impact on the food chain and human health in the eastern Ganges Basin: a review. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 47p. (IWMI Working Paper 161) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2014.224]
Arsenic ; Contamination ; Organic arsenic compounds ; Inorganic compounds ; Public health ; Health hazards ; Food chains ; Groundwater ; Water pollution ; Soil pollution ; Rice ; Irrigation water ; Drinking water ; Tube wells ; Ion exchange / India / Nepal / Bangladesh / Ganges Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H046775)
(1 MB)
Exposure to arsenic and the use of arsenic-contaminated groundwater in agriculture causes serious health issues. Complete or partial contamination of groundwater is reported worldwide, especially in the Eastern Gangetic Basin (EGB). This study aims to create an overall assessment of arsenic contamination in the EGB based on existing literature, demarcate the extent of the affected area, highlight the impacts on the food chain and human health, and hopes the research will help in the better planning and management of groundwater. Although several studies have evaluated arsenic contamination of groundwater in the EGB, (a) there is no proper long-term monitoring being done in affected areas; (b) there is a debate to identify the exact source and transport processes of arsenic occurrence in this region; (c) there is no comprehensive method to estimate the level of arsenic contamination in soil, water and the food chain; and (d) Arsenic contamination in Bihar and Nepal is not evaluated systematically, especially arsenic accumulation in the food chain and human health issues. Data scarcity and accessibility are the major challenges in this region. Thus, this review recommends systematic monitoring and analysis of arsenic contamination in groundwater, soils and food across the EGB.
4 Natarajan, Rajmohan; Amarasinghe, Upali A. 2016. Groundwater quality issues and management in Ramganga Sub-Basin. Environmental Earth Sciences, 75(12):1-14. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-5833-9]
Groundwater management ; Water quality ; River basins ; Tributaries ; Drinking water ; Arsenic ; Nitrates ; Iron ; Salinity ; Fluorides ; Sulphates ; Contamination ; Aquifers ; Manual pumps ; Sanitation ; Sewage ; Wastewater / India / Uttar Pradesh / Uttarakhand / Ramganga Sub-Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047597)
Groundwater quality receives increasing attention in water management in India. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the emerging issues of groundwater quality in the Ramganga Sub-Basin (RSB), a tributary joining the Ganga River from the northern plains, which extends over 30,839 Sq. km and covers 15 districts in both Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. The groundwater in most of the districts of the RSB has high concentration of nitrate, iron, salinity and fluoride, which exceed the standards prescribed for drinking water by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and World Health Organization (WHO). Arsenic contamination in groundwater is an emerging issue in few groundwater development blocks. Moreover, groundwater with substantial hardness, high sulfate, and high manganese is emerging issue in some districts. Additionally, shallow aquifers have high concentration of ions. In the RSB, the quality of groundwater, especially in the shallow aquifers, is influenced by the contamination of poor quality surface water, due mainly to poor sanitation, improper disposable of domestic sewage water, manures and irrigation return flows. To reduce deterioration of water quality further, the RSB requires proper sanitation facilities, efficient usage of agrochemicals, as well as an awareness program of water-related disease.
5 Natarajan, Rajmohan; Chakraborti, D.; Prathapar, S. 2016. Arsenic in the eastern Ganges Basin: extent and impact on food chain and human health. In Bharati, Luna; Sharma, Bharat R.; Smakhtin, Vladimir (Eds.). The Ganges River Basin: status and challenges in water, environment and livelihoods. Oxon, UK: Routledge - Earthscan. pp.205-221. (Earthscan Series on Major River Basins of the World)
Arsenic ; Contamination ; Groundwater ; Water pollution ; Inorganic compounds ; Toxicity ; Drinking water ; Public health ; Health hazards ; Food chains ; Rice ; Irrigation water ; Tube wells ; Soil pollution / India / Nepal / Bangladesh / Ganges Basin / Bihar / West Bengal / Terai Region
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H047839)
6 Natarajan, Rajmohan; Prathapar, S. A. 2016. Assessment of geochemical processes in the uncon ned and con ned aquifers in the Eastern Ganges Basin: a geochemical approach. Environmental Earth Sciences, 75:1-14.
Geochemistry ; Aquifers ; Groundwater management ; Water quality ; Contamination ; Wells ; Elements ; Heavy metals ; River basins ; Wastewater ; Minerals ; Ions ; Saturation ; Chemicophysical properties / Tibet / Nepal / India / Bangladesh / Ganges Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048904)
Groundwater quality is gaining more importance in groundwater management due to rapid growth in population, agriculture and industrial sectors worldwide. The goal of the present study is to evaluate the groundwater chemistry and to identify the geochemical processes governing the water chemistry in the shallow uncon ned and deeper con ned aquifers in the Eastern Ganges Basin using geochemical methods. Groundwater samples were analysed for major ions and metals (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb and As). Shallow wells are found to have high pH, EC, TDS, Ca, Mg, Cl and SO4, and low HCO3/Cl ratio compared to the deep wells. However, the average concentration of Na, HCO3, NO 3, PO 4, F and Mn is not signi cantly varied with depth which indicates that the variation in the water chemistry between uncon ned and con ned aquifers is not only due to the natural processes but also indicates that surface contamination sources could have affected the water chemistry in the uncon ned aquifer. In the uncon ned aquifer, processes like wastewater in ltration, denitri cation, reverse ion exchange and mineral weathering govern the water chemistry. The water chemistry in the con ned aquifer is regulated by weathering of silicate and carbonate minerals and regional ow.
7 Surinaidu, L.; Nandan, M. J.; Prathapar, Sanmugam; Rao, V. V. S. G.; Natarajan, Rajmohan. 2016. Groundwater evaporation ponds: a viable option for the management of shallow saline waterlogged areas. Hydrology, 3(3):1-12. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology3030030]
Groundwater management ; Groundwater level ; Evaporation ; Salinity ; Saline water ; Waterlogging ; Water balance ; Ponds ; Food security ; Flow discharge ; Land degradation ; Hydrogeology ; Aquifers ; Calibration / India / Punjab / Muktsar District
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048905)
(2.60 MB)
The province of Punjab is the main food basket of India. In recent years, many regions of Punjab are facing acute waterlogging problems and increased secondary salinity, which have negative impacts on food security of the nation. In particular, these problems are more pronounced in the Muktsar district of Punjab. The observed groundwater levels trend between 2005 and 2011 implies that groundwater levels are coming towards the land surface at the rate of 0.5 m/year in Lambi and Malout blocks. In this study, a groundwater flow model was constructed using MODFLOW to understand the groundwater table dynamics and to test the groundwater evaporation ponds to draw down the groundwater levels in the waterlogging areas of Muktsar district. The predicted flow model results indicate that groundwater levels could be depleted at the rate of 0.3 m/year between 2012 and 2018 after the construction of Groundwater Evaporation Ponds (GEP). In addition, the constructed ponds can be used for aquaculture that generates additional income. The proposed GEP method may be a promising tool and suitable for the reduction of waterlogging in any region if there is no proper surface drainage, and also for enhancement of agricultural production that improves the social and economic status of the farming community.
8 Rajurkar, G. B.; Patel, N.; Natarajan, Rajmohan; Rajput, T. B. S.; Prathapar, S. A.; Varghese, C. 2016. Irrigation application efficiency and uniformity of water distribution using multi-outlet pipe and resource conservation technologies. Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 8(4):1868-1877.
Irrigation efficiency ; Irrigation systems ; Irrigation water ; Water distribution ; Water storage ; Pipe drainage ; Resource conservation ; Technology ; Zero tillage ; Crop production ; Seasonal cropping ; Planting ; Cultivation ; Wheat ; Farmers ; Soil water / India / Haryana State / Karnal District / Karnal
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048909)
https://journals.ansfoundation.org/index.php/jans/article/view/1055/1014
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H048909.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H048909.pdf
(1.25 MB)
Irrigation experiments were conducted during November to April under wheat crop in the winter season of 2012-13 and 2013-14 in the farmer’s field at Galibkhedi village located in Karnal District, Haryana State, India. In the study, collapsible multi-outlet pipe (MOP) along with single outlets pipe (SOP) was tested in farmer’s field under wheat cultivation. Irrigation was carried out in five treatments including tillage (T) with SOP and MOP; zero-tillage (ZT) with SOP and MOP, and furrow irrigation with raised bed (FIRB). Iso-time profile of waterfront spreading and advance indicated that irrigation water distribution was uniform under the plot irrigated using MOP as compared to plot irrigated using SOP. In addition, water distribution was uniform under zero tilled plots as compared to tilled plot. Results implied that MOP has several advantages over SOP in terms of application efficiency (AE) and uniformity of water distribution. Average application efficiency for the first study year was found to be in the order of ZT-MOP (82.41%) > FIRB (76.79%) > ZT-SOP (75.25%) > T-MOP (74.85%) > T-SOP (69.79%). Average application efficien-cy for the second study year was found to be in the same order as first year with some deviation in values. In the second year values of mean application efficiencies were ZT-MOP (82.58%) > FIRB (77.13%) > ZT-SOP (73.04%) > T-MOP (69.65%) > T-SOP (66.13%). Overall, this study concludes that irrigation under wheat crop using collapsible multi-outlet pipe (MOP) with zero tillage practices is a suitable option for surface irrigation that accomplishes uniform distribution of water with higher application efficiency.
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