Assessment of groundwater vulnerability in Muktsar district of Punjab using GIS based DRASTIC model
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Date
2023
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Punjab Agricultural University
Abstract
Groundwater serves as a vast reserve of freshwater. The geogenic processes within the Earth's crust, combined with the infiltration of water through the surface, result in notable alterations in the quality of groundwater reserves. To effectively handle groundwater resources, assessing the vulnerability of aquifers through prediction and monitoring proves to be a valuable approach. The aim of this study was to employ DRASTIC model in GIS environment for estimating the groundwater vulnerability in Muktsar district of Punjab, which covers almost 2,615 km2 area. In this region, the vulnerability index of groundwater was modelled using both primary and secondary datasets, considering various input variables in ArcGIS software. The calculated DRASTIC index value ranged between 141 to 192 which were further classified in low, medium and high vulnerability classes. Results showed that the high vulnerability was at the northern part of the district with area share of 8.19%. Map removal sensitivity analysis was performed which showed depth to water table as the most influential parameter in vulnerability assessment with mean variation index of 2.63% followed by topography, net recharge and aquifer media. The weights of the model parameters were modified based on the variation indices and a modified DRASTIC model was obtained. The validation test revealed that the output of the modified model was better correlated with both historical and current Total Dissolved Solidss (TDS) concentration map of the study area compared to the conventional model thus making it preferable to assess groundwater vulnerability in the study region.
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Karmakar, Saikat (2023). Assessment of groundwater vulnerability in Muktsar district of Punjab using GIS based DRASTIC model (Unpublished M.Tech. thesis). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.