Groundwater Recharge

S.A.Gangaraju
Asst professor in
Geology
Dept of Civil Engg.
BIET, Davanagere
 Introduction
► Groundwater is one of the most precious and renewable resources of the Earth. The
exploitation of GW has been increased constantly as a source of drinking, later for
urbanization, industrialization and increasing demand for agricultural production.
► As a result, the GW potential has been getting depleted in any given geological horizon.
Thus, the WT has gone so deep that many bore wells have gone dry in many regions.
Besides, the GW has also found to be contaminated, following over exploitation.
► Although, rainfall is the ultimate source of GW, we have only 40 to 50 rainy days in a
year. On comparison, we have crop season of 110 to 150 days. Therefore, there is a need
to store water and to be fed to the crops during extended rainless intervals.
► Storage of water is traditionally in the form of tanks/reservoirs. We have forty thousand
tanks in Karnataka, but unfortunately, majority of these tanks have been silted up and
thus, their storage capacities were reduced, rendering them to be unfit.
► Jagalur taluk is one of the six taluks of Davanagere district, having
171 villages with a geographical area of 963 Sq Kms and located
over 600 MSL and is one of the drought affected taluks in the
district.

► RAIN FALL: The normal rainfall of the taluk is 571 mm. But during
2010 the rain fall was 790 mm which was 38% more than the
normal. Again in 2009 it was rained 885 mm, registering 74% more
than the normal. This was found to be the highest in the past 40
years.
► RIVERS & DRAINAGE:
► Jagalur taluk lies in Krishna river basin. two minor streams Chikka
Hagari and Jinagi Halla flowing in this taluk. Chikka Hagari is a
tributary of ‘Tungabhadra’ river and it flows in West and North
parts of the taluk and it ultimately joins TB river in Harapanahalli
taluk.
► Jinagi halla (Chinna hagari) stream is one of the tributaries of
Vedavathi river. It takes its birth in Chitradurga district and joins at
Sangenahalli in Jagalur taluk. These two streams are only flow in
rain season.
► TANKS: There are 45 tanks in the taluk and they contain
water only in rain season. Hence, irrigation by rivers and
tanks is ruled out in the taluk. About 90% of the irrigation in
this region is being done through groundwater and the rest
by the rainfall.

► GEOLOGY OF JAGALUR:

► It Is occupied by hard rocks of both Igneous and

Metamorphic nature, like Granites, gneisses and schists,
said to be ancient rocks. Ground water occurs in these rocks
up to the weathered and fractured depth.

► Weathered zone in Jagalur taluk occurs from 20 feet 110 ft

below the ground and the bore wells were drilled from 80 ft
to beyond 610 ft to tap the groundwater.
► GROUNDWATER: During 1960 to 1980, there were many dug
wells existing in the taluk. As the wells strength went on
increasing their inter distances between the two wells also
went on becoming closure, causing depletion of water table
and gradually, they became dry.

► After 1980 onwards, bore wells started drilling for tapping

deeper aquifers. Even their number has gone beyond
expectation and thus, those places have become over
exploited and declaring as grey areas. According to CGWB
authorities, it has been estimated that over 83% of the
geographical area in Jagalur taluk was over exploited.
 Where is the Water?
► 97% is salt water, available in the oceans
► 3% is fresh water
 67% of this is snow & ice
 Thus, only 1% of global water is accessible
► 98% of accessible water is groundwater
► 2% of accessible water is surface water
Hydrological Cycle…

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercyclegraphichi.htm
 Vertical distribution of GW
► Zone of aeration: Soil
surface  water table top
 Soil water zone
► Soil
surface through the root
zone
 Vadose zone
► Soilwater zone  capillary
fringe
 Capillary fringe:
► Water from saturated zone is
pulled up
► Zoneof saturation: below
the water table
 Where to look for GW
(factors to be considered)
► Topography
► Climate
► Vegetation
► Geology
► Hydrology
► Geophysics
► Remote sensing
Unconfined Vs. Confined

Piezometric or potentiometric
surface: The level to which the
water in an artesian aquifer
would rise if unaffected by
friction with the surrounding
rocks and sediments.
 GROUNDWATER RESOURCES Swan Coastal Plain
Groundwater Replenishment

Rainfall

Injection Bore Superficial aquifer well

Confined aquifer well

Caves Infiltration
Coastal Limestone Ponds
River
Wetland Guildford Clay
Indian Superficial
Ocean watertable aquifer Confining Bed

Darling Fault
Confining Bed

Confining Bed
Confining Bed

confined aquifer
 Problems associated with
groundwater pumping

► Land subsidence & earth fissuring

► Declining water tables
► Degradation of water quality
► Increased costs, extraction &
maintenance
Groundwater contamination

Shallow Groundwater Aquifer

Groundwater Direction
 Groundwater Recharing
structures
► 1.Percolation tanks
► 2.Sub surface dykes
► 3.Recharge pits/trenches
► 4.Check dams
► 5.Desilting of tanks
► 6.Contour bunds
 Ideal conditions for artificial
GW recharge
► Water level is deep (>8m) and adequate sub-
surface storage space is available.
► Permeable strata is available at
shallow/moderate depth.
► Where adequate quantity of surface water is
available for recharge to GW.
► When the GW quality is bad
► Where there is a possibility of intrusion of sea
water into coastal aquifers.
Advantages of GW Recharge
► The cost of recharge to sub-surface reservoir
(Aquifer) is less than surface reservoirs.
► No land is wasted for storage purpose and no
population displacement is involves
► GW is not directly exposed to evaporation and
pollution
► Mitigates effects of drought and
► Reduce soil erosion
► GW recharging methods
► SPACING OF WELLS: In order to manage the ground water
resources more effectively and efficiently, there is a need to
maintain minimum space between any two bore wells: Thus we
can avoid the phenomenon of ‘radius of influence’.
► In Hard rock areas: 300 m
► In command area or with more tanks/canals:up to 150m

► FLOURIDE AFFECTED VILLAGES IN JAGALUR TQ: (with high concentration)

► Gopalapura: 6.0 mg/l ; Chikkamallana hole; 5.22; Guttidurga; 4.19; Hosahatti;

4.10 ; Chadaragolla; 3.57; Rasthemakunte; 3.18; Shettigondanahalli 3.45;
Kalledevapura; 3.50 mg/l. tekere
► FLOURIDE AFFECTED VILLAGES: (with high
concentration)
► Gopalapura: 6.0 mg/l ; Chikkamallana hole; 5.22;
Guttidurga; 4.19; Hosahatti; 4.10 ; Chadaragolla; 3.57;
Rasthemakunte; 3.18; Shettigondanahalli 3.45;
Kalledevapura; 3.50 mg/l. tekere
Thank you