A Geo-Spatial analysis and assessment of groundwater potential zones by using remote sensing and GIS techniques-A micro level study of Bhagwanpur-I CD Block in Purba Medinipur District, West Bengal, India

Goutam Kumar Das

Goutam Kumar Das Department of Geography (UG & PG), Bajkul Milani Mahavidyalaya (Vidyasagar University), Kismat Bajkul, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, India

Keywords: GIS, groundwater, remote sensing, resistivity survey

Abstract

The important resource of groundwater is a contributing significantly in total annual supply. However, over exploitation has depleted groundwater availability considerably and also led to land subsidence at some places. The integrated approach based on advanced applications of remote sensing and GIS lends itself to evaluate the groundwater prospective zone based on multi-criteria evaluation approach (e.g., Seasonal land use/land cover, geology, soil, drainage density and Slope), for assessment of groundwater availability in Bhagwanpur-I, CD Block (Purba Medinipur District, West Bengal) shows various groundwater potential zones. The groundwater availability at the block was roughly divided into different classes (i.e., very good, good, moderate, and poor) based on its hydro-geomorphological condition. Toposheet by Survey of India and Landsat-8 satellite (Oli sensor) imageries of 16 February, 2017 are used for preparing various thematic maps viz. Geology, slope, land-use/ Land-cover, drainage density, and soil map. Those maps transformed to raster class data using the feature to raster converter tool in Arc GIS were All the raster maps were allocated to a fixed percentage of influence and weighted their after weighted overlay tool or technique was used. For getting the groundwater potential zones, each weighted thematic layer was computed statistically. The results obtained were integrated with the different thematic maps on a GIS platform which yielded a good match with the obtained resistivity test result. The result shows the groundwater potentiality of Bhagwanpur-I, CD Block (Purba Medinipur District, West Bengal) is stretched along the eastern part and in small pockets in Northern and Southern part. The hydrologic parameters-based groundwater potential zone map also indicated 8.08% of the study areas were classified as having very high potential, 11.99% high potential and 17.72% moderate potential. The groundwater abstraction structures feasible in each of the various potential zones have also been suggested. This study also provides a methodological approach for an evaluation of the water resources in hard rock terrain and enables an opening of the scope for further development and management practices.

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