Thursday 25 August 2005

P3

PTH0110
Preliminary study on the recharge mound migration and the possible control/arrest of the migration in the coastal belt of Cuddalore District, South India
Alagappan, Ramanathan¹, Sabarathinam, Chidhambaram², M, Thangarajan³
1 Jawaharlal Nehru University, India
2 Annamalai University, India
3 National Geophysical Research Institute, India
Author email: alr0400@mail.jnu.ac.in
Large Amount of groundwater is being pumped out since 1961 both for open cast lignite mining operation, industries and irrigation in the study area till today. Continuous decline of regional groundwater levels all over the basin has been observed .Free flows from artesian wells have been compelled to be stopped since 1980 due to pumping for depressurization of the confined aquifer for the exploitation of lignite in the region. Area is roughly 23 km away from the coast line .The artificial recharge mound created between lignite mine-I field and east coast started moving continuously towards the coast and it is at present around 9km away from the coast. As on today second mine has also come into operation and third one is under consideration. Further Seawater intrusion is already exists in the Cuddalore coast due to heavy pumping for industries and irrigation. .Our study based on numerical modeling and the hydro geochemical modeling studies in the past one decade shows that the situation is deteriorating. Further from this year 45 deep bore wells has been dugged up and 35 bore wells have started its operation in this summer to supply drinking water to Chennai metropolitan city and hence it is bound to deteriorate further the ground water situation and the migration of the mound. Further studies are on and our preliminary observations points out that if the eastward movement of artificial recharge mound is not stopped there are a likelihood of seawater intrusion in the entire ground water basin. So the systematic scientific study is being carried out and the current status of mound migration will be delineated /assessed in coming days and suitable remedial measures will be brought out after assessing out the water levels and storage capacity in the adjoining reservoirs in the vicinity of the study area.

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