AGGARWAL, RKLALRINZUALI, R K2023-05-192023-05-192022-02https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810197380ABSTRACT The present study entitled “Assessment of ground water status in low-hills of Himachal Pradesh” was carried out in the low hills of districts Sirmaur and Una, with the aim to checkthe quality and quantity of groundwater in the region. The study was conducted to check whether theindustries, national highway and residential areas have impacted the quality of groundwater in the area by comparing with the IPH supply source (control) during 2020-2022 by collecting 15 samples from each district during two seasons viz. pre-monsoon and post-monsoon. The groundwater quality parameters under study were temperature, turbidity, TDS, EC, pH, DO, alkalinity, SO4 2-, NO3 -, Na+, Ca2+, TH, Cl-, Mg2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Cr2+, Pb2+ and total coliform. The concentrations of the physicochemical parameters under study were found to be within BIS permissible limits and the presence of total coliform was not detected in the low hills of selected districts. Site-wise, the concentration of all the parameters was highest around the industries followed by samples within the industries, along the main highway,and residential areas and lowest at control, indicating that the industrial activities have started to impact the groundwater quality. In the Sirmaur district, the correlation coefficient, (r) was in the order of 0.993 (Ca2+ and TH) > 0.983 (TDS and Mg2+) > 0.982 (TDS and Cl-) > 0.977 (Cl- and Mg2+) > 0.976 (alkalinity and Ca2+> 0.969 (Ca2+ and Cl-) > 0.963 (Ca2+ and Mg2+, alkalinity and Cl-) > 0.959 (SO4 2- and TH) > 0.948 (alkalinity and Mg2+> 0.940 (turbidity and DO) > 0.931 ( TH and Mn2+) > 0.927 (TDS and EC) > 0.924 (TDS and alkalinity) > 0.916 (EC and Mg2+) > 0.913 (Na+ and Cl-) > 0.911 (TDS and Na+) > 0.902 (SO4 2- and Ca2+) > 0.900 (EC and chloride). In district Una, the correlation coefficient, (r) was in the order of 0.998 (alkalinity and Ca2+) > 0.984 (EC and Ca2+) > 0.980 (EC and alkalinity) > 0.978 (alkalinity and TH) > 0.970 (Ca2+ and TH, Na+ and Mn2+) > 0.963 (SO4 2- and TH) > 0.956 (EC and TH) > 0.940 (alkalinity and SO4 2-) > 0.931 (SO4 2- and Ca2+) > 0.924 (TDS and EC) > 0.911 (DO and Na+). Among the toxic metals, the correlation coefficient, (r) was in the order of 0.991 (Cu2+ and Pb2+) > 0.982 (Zn2+ and Cu2+) > 0.954 (Zn2+and Pb2+) > 0.910 (Cr2+and Pb2+) > 0.906 (Fe2+ and Cr2+) in district Sirmaur and 0.962 (Cr2+ and Pb2+) > 0.903 (Cu2+ and Pb2+) > 0.861 (Fe2+ and Cu2+) > 0.700 (Fe2+ and Pb2+) in district Una. In both districts, the WQI fell under the good to excellent category and was still suitable for drinking purposes. In district Sirmaur,the WQI was highest around the industries (42.31) followed by within the industries (41.48), main highway (38.64), residential areas (38.64) and control (37.58). In district Una, the WQI wasthe also highest around the industries (38.82) followed by within the industries (38.24), main highway (37.86), residential areas (37.56) and control (26.25). In district Sirmaur, a significant regression equation with R2 of 0.864 was obtained for turbidity (Turbidity = 4.173+0.0011 TDS) followed by 0.863 (Manganese = 0.082+0.001 TDS) and 0.854 (Total Hardness = 61.952+0.079 TDS) while only chromium showed a significant R2 with a value of 0.782 (Cr = 0.185 + 0.223 Fe) among the toxic metals. In district Una, a significant R2 of 0.899 was found for EC (EC = -0.288+0.0060 TDS) followed by 0.852 (Calcium = 19.671+0.079 TDS) and 0.842 (Chloride = 11.242+0.137 TDS) while the highest R2 of 0.898 (Zn = -0.011 + 0.993 Fe) was found for the toxic metals. To check the quantity of groundwater, a groundwater potential zone map was prepared for the low hills of both districts using ArcGis. In the low hills of district Sirmaur, about 74.62 per cent of the area fell under the poor zone, and high to very high potential zones were found along the Markanda river and its tributaries. In the low hills of district Una, around 64 per cent of the area fell under the poor potential zone and about 17 per cent fell under a poor potential zone and around 18 per cent came under a moderate to a very high potential zone. Validation results of the groundwater potential zone map indicated an overall efficiency of 80 per cent with a kappa coefficient of 0.73 in the low hills of district Sirmaur and overall efficiency of 86.67 per cent with a kappa coefficient of 0.81 in the low hills ofdistrict UnEnglishThesis