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Hydrogeological and geophysical study for deeper groundwater resource in quartzitic hard rock ridge region from 2D resistivity data

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Abstract

Electrical resistivity method is a versatile and economical technique for groundwater prospecting in different geological settings due to wide spectrum of resistivity compared to other geophysical parameters. Exploration and exploitation of groundwater, a vital and precious resource, is a challenging task in hard rock, which exhibits inherent heterogeneity. In the present study, two-dimensional Electrical Resistivity Tomography (2D-ERT) technique using two different arrays, viz., pole–dipole and pole–pole, were deployed to look into high signal strength data in a tectonically disturbed hard rock ridge region for groundwater. Four selected sites were investigated. 2D subsurface resistivity tomography data were collected using Syscal Pro Switch-10 channel system and covered a 2 km long profile in a tough terrain. The hydrogeological interpretation based on resistivity models reveal the water horizons trap within the clayey sand and weathered/fractured quartzite formations. Aquifer resistivity lies between ∼3–35 and 100–200 Ωm. The results of the resistivity models decipher potential aquifer lying between 40 and 88 m depth, nevertheless, it corroborates with the static water level measurements in the area of study. The advantage of using pole–pole in conjunction with the pole–dipole array is well appreciated and proved worth which gives clear insight of the aquifer extent, variability and their dimension from shallow to deeper strata from the hydrogeological perspective in the present geological context.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to the Director, CSIR –National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad India for his kind permission to carry out the work for societal and research benefit and encouragement to publish the important findings and results of this work. Thanks are also due to Mr. Azhar Ali Khan of JHU, New Delhi for extending logistic support and help during the geophysical and hydrological field survey. Authors thank Dr S Thiagarajan for helping in preparing the location map. Authors are extremely benefitted by the critical review of the manuscript by Ander Guinea and the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and suggestions which improved the quality of the research paper.

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  1. CSIR–National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, 500 007, India

    DEWASHISH KUMAR, V ANANDA RAO & V S SARMA

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  1. DEWASHISH KUMAR
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  2. V ANANDA RAO
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  3. V S SARMA
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Correspondence to DEWASHISH KUMAR.

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KUMAR, D., RAO, V.A. & SARMA, V.S. Hydrogeological and geophysical study for deeper groundwater resource in quartzitic hard rock ridge region from 2D resistivity data. J Earth Syst Sci 123, 531–543 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-014-0408-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-014-0408-1

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