APPLICATION OF ISOTOPE TECHNIQUES FOR GROUNDWATER RECHARGE STUDIES IN ARID WESTERN RAJASTHAN, INDIA

U. K. Sinha (udayks@apsara.barc.ernet.in ; u_k_s@vsnl.net ) S.V. Navada (svnavada@apsara.barc.ernet.in) August 31st 2005

Location: 1. Jalore district (25 N, 72 E): Figure 1 2. Bhadka Bheemda in Barmer district (25 N, 74 E): Figure 2

Figure 1. Sample location map and geological formation of Jalore area

Figure 2. Bhadka-Bheemda area with location of samples.

Main problem illustrated: What is the source of recharge and age of groundwater? What is the impact on hydrodynamic conditions due to long-term exploitation? Summary: Groundwater is the principal traditional source of water in most arid regions, and knowledge is needed about the hydrological history, including the method of accumulation of these reserves. Isotope techniques in conjunction with available chemical and geological data provide useful information such as source, dynamics and quality of groundwater. A basic problem in arid areas, which often cannot be solved easily with conventional hydrological techniques, is to nd out if a given body of groundwater is actively recharged. Tritium can be used to show the presence of modern recharge. In the Jalore area the contribution from river channels has been found to be an important mechanism of recharge to the shallow aquifer. In the absence of active recharge large-scale exploitation will lead to mining the resource, resulting also in deterioration of quality as has been illustrated in the Bhadka Bheemda area. Tracers used:
3

H, 14C, 13C, stable isotopes (18O, 2H), major chemical constituents

Hydrogeological setting:

Jalore area: Quaternary alluvium is the major hydrogeological unit. The younger alluvium comprises unconsolidated sediments, sand, silt and clays in varying proportions and is found along ood plains. Older alluvium includes piedmont alluvial sediments, unsorted rock fragments, gravel, sand with higher clay percentage; higher terrace deposits comprise upper sandy loam and kankar (duricrust) layers and lower ne-to-medium sand, gravel and silt. In the central part along the Sukri river in an east west direction, there are thick clay horizons on the northern bank and medium to coarse sand and gravel interbedded with clay lenses on the southern bank where coarse sediments increases towards the east. Bhadka-Bheemda area: The area receives a mean annual rainfall of 280mm. The Central part of the area is mainly underlain by Tertiary sediments. The area is covered in the north by the Lathi sandstone ( Jurassic age) and then by the Malani suite of igneous rocks (Precambrian-lower Palaeozoic). Fresh groundwater forms a basin in the central part of the region. Here, the shallow aquifer is under phreatic condition while the deeper aquifers are under semi-conned or conned conditions. People affected, environmental, ecological impacts: People in these areas are mainly dependent on groundwater. Lowering of water table and deterioration in water quality is a major concern. Many villagers have to walk long distances to get drinking water. Water sampling and analysis summary: A set of samples collected in 1987 from dug wells (shallow aquifer) and tube wells (deep aquifer), were analyzed for 2H, 18O, 3H, 14C and chemistry from Jalore and Bhadka-Bheemda areas. A second set of samples was collected in 1996 and a third set collected from the study areas in March 2000. They were analyzed for Groundwater sampling for 14C in Western Rajasthan isotopes as well as for chemistry and compared with the 1987 results. Temperature, pH, SEC and alkalinity were measured at the site in both the study areas. Results of tracer studies: Jalore area: (Figure 3) Shallow groundwater near the river course (group C) show enriched D and 18O values compared to other samples from the area. D - 18O regression line for these samples has a slope of 4.4 showing evaporation effect. They have high 3H values (5 20 TU). Hence they receive modern recharge through river channels. Shallow groundwater away from the river course (group B) shows depleted D and 18O compared to the wells near the river and have low 3H (1.4 to 3 TU). They may receive some component of modern recharge. Deep ground water (> 50m) samples from Megalwa, Posana, Phagotra which lie away from the river course have the most depleted D and 18O values (group A). They have negligible 3H. Hence they receive no modern recharge and are possibly paleowaters. Deep well samples from Bautra, Punasa and Sayla, which are near the river course, are enriched in D and 18O compared to group A samples. They appear to receive some recharge from shallow groundwater region of the river course.

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Tube well samples negligible tritium Dug well samples more than 3 TU Dug well samples less than 3 TU ( Meteoric Water Line (MWL)) Label: tritium content of Dug well samples more than 3 TU

-20

H () SMOW

L MW

-30
6.4

11.2 5.2

19.5

C 12.1

-40

4.8 3

17.5

-50

A
-60 -8.5 -8.0 -7.5 -7.0 -6.5 -6.0 -5.5 -5.0 -4.5 -4.0 -3.5 -3.0 -2.5

Figure 3. H - O plot for dug well and tube well samples from Jalore area
2 18

O () SMOW

18

Bhadka Bheemda area: (Figure 4 and Figure 5) Negligible 3H in the tube well samples indicates absence of modern recharge and 14C model ages of 2400 7400 years show that they are old (palaeowaters) and were recharged during cooler and pluvial phases in the Holocene. The 2H-18O plot for all the groundwaters collected during the three sampling campaigns in 1987, 1996 and 2000 show that some samples collected during 1996 and 2000 show an evaporation effect. From the 18O versus carbon-14 plot large variations in 18O values have been observed at Bheemda, Jogasar, and Durgaram ki Dhani and relatively lesser variations at Nimla, Bhadka, and Bhiyari. The observed changes may be attributed to the wells getting an inux of water with enriched stable isotope values, from adjacent brackish aquifer. Findings and Conclusion: In the Jalore area, the shallow aquifer receives recharge through river channels during episodic oods caused by intense rain events. The deep aquifers were recharged during the cool pluvial periods in the Holocene. In the Bhadka Bheemda area, mining of groundwater is apparent from the declining groundwater table. This is well reected in the isotopic and chemical characteristics of the groundwater. Mixing with isotopically enriched brackish
20
T W /1 9 8 7 D W /1 9 8 7 T W /1 9 9 6 T W /2 0 0 0 RW MW L GW LM W L

B h a d k a -B h e e m d a A re a , W e s te rn R a ja s th a n
H = 7 .7 6
2

O + 1 1 .2 5 (n = 5 , r = 0 .9 9 9 )

18

-2 0

H(%o)

-4 0

-6 0
H = 5 .9 6
2

-8 0

O - 5 .8 6 (n = 4 7 , r = 0 .9 4 )

18

-1 0 0 -1 3 -1 2 -1 1 -1 0 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1

18

O (% o )

Figure 4. 2H - 18O plot of dug well and tube well samples from Bhadka Bheemda area

90
Rajdhal

BARMER SAMPLES

80 70
Ratari

Mahabar SPsinghh

TW/'87 DW/'87 TW/'96 DW/'96 TW/'00

Bhiyar

60

C (pMC)

50 40 30 20

Nimla
Bhadka

14

Nagurda

Jogasar Bheemda DKDhani

Bhiyar

-8.5

-8.0

-7.5

-7.0

-6.5
18

-6.0

-5.5

-5.0

-4.5

-4.0

O (%o)

Figure 5.

14

C - 18O plot for all samples collected from Bhadka Bheemda area

waters is observed at many locations. With the rates of abstraction increasing, the quality of water is bound to suffer further in the future. Take home message: The shallow and deep aquifer recharged by the river can be tapped cautiously within renewable limits to provide drinking water to the people in Jalore area. Over-exploitation must be minimized to prevent deterioration of groundwater quality in Bhadaka-Bheemda area. This is a non-renewable resource. Credits: Work by Isotope Applications Division of Bhabha Atomic Reseach Centre in collaboration with Groundwater Department, Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Further reading:
Navada, SV, AR Nair, SM Rao, BL Paliwal, and CS Doshi, Groundwater recharge using isotope techniques. J. Arid Environment, (1993) 24, 125 -133