Application of geo-electrical data to evaluate groundwater potential zone and assessment of overburden protective capacity in part of Sonebhadra district, Uttar Pradesh

Groundwater potential zones and aquifer protection capacity were evaluated in the hard rock area in part of Sonebhadra District of Uttar Pradesh, India. Seventy-one vertical electrical sounding were conducted in the study area. The geoelectric properties obtained from the interpretation of the resistivity data were used to obtain some secondary parameters known as Dar-Zarrouk parameters. Thematic maps were prepared for overburden thickness, anisotropic coefficient, transverse resistance and longitudinal conductance of the study area. These maps were classified, weighted and integrated in ArcGIS environment by means of the Overlay weighted model. A suitable map which classified the groundwater potential zone of the study area into low, moderate and good was obtained. A further assessment of the longitudinal conductance was carried out to assess the protective capacity of the overburden material, the result obtained shows that the study area is dominated by moderate to good protective overburden material.