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Proceedings of the International Academy of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 2012, 2(3): 193-203
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Article

Hydrochemistry of groundwater from Sarabanga Minor Basin, Tamilnadu, India

K.Srinivasamoorthy 1, M.Vasanthavigar2, S.Chidambaram2, P.Anandhan2, R.Manivannan2, R.Rajivgandhi2
1Department of Earth Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry 605 014, India
2Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Tamilnadu 608 002, India

Received 28 November 2011;Accepted 5 January 2012;Published online 1 September 2012
IAEES

Abstract
The study area Sarabanga, forms an important Minor river basin of river Cauvery, situated in Salem district. The study area being a hard rock terrain with minimal rainfall and large extraction of groundwater for domestic, irrigational and industrial purposes have threatened the groundwater environment both in the terms of quality and quantity. Hence an attempt has been made to identify the major geochemical process activated for controlling the ground water chemistry. Groundwater was generally alkaline with higher EC values. The dominance of anions and cations were of the order of Cl > HCO3 > SO4 > NO3 > PO4 and Na > Ca > Mg > K. The plot for Na/Cl to EC indicates Na released from silicate weathering and Cl from anthropogenic activities. The plot for Ca+Mg to SO4+HCO3, indicates ion exchange process. The plot of Na-Cl to Ca+Mg-HCO3-SO4 confirms that Ca, Mg and Na concentrations in groundwater are derived from aquifer materials. Thermodynamic plot indicates that groundwater is in equilibrium with kaolinite, muscovite and chloride minerals. In general, water chemistry is guided by complex weathering process, ion exchange along with influence of Cl ions from anthropogenic impact.

Keywords groundwater;hydrochemistry;Sarabanga Minor Basin.


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