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Summary of the proposed research and expected deliverables
India has a very long coast line of 7516 km length. Around 10% of India's population lives in the area closer to the coast line. In this area, the freshwater aquifers are highly vulnerable to seawater intrusion and anthropogenic activities like aqua culture, salt pans etc. Fresh groundwater present in the shallow aquifers in these areas is the only source of drinking, domestic and irrigation uses. Effect of seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers is a major challenge for sustainability of these fresh water sources. Detailed characterization of the unconfined coastal aquifers is essential for prevention of sea water intrusion and remediation.
High resolution satellite images are useful to delineate the features of geomorphic importance in coastal areas. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is the non-invasive geophysical technique that provides the high resolution profile of subsurface than any other geophysical techniques. GPR with deferent frequencies have the capability to detect water table as well as various layers present in the subsurface. Based on the penetration capacity it can also detect the saltwater/freshwater interface zones. 3D model can be generated using GPR data to understand the manifestations of subsurface layers as well as the dynamics of seawater intrusion in the coastal areas.
NRSC has successfully carried out GPR based shallow aquifer mapping in coastal Andhra Pradesh as a part of National Rural Drinking Water Program (NRDWP) of Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MoDWS), Govt. of India.
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