Assessment of Potential Recharge Sites based on Drinking and Irrigation Groundwater Quality in Panamaruthupatti Block, Salem, India using GIS Technique

The groundwater storage and the recharge is the fundamental component of hydrological system. It is the result of water percolating through various layers of soil and rocks due to the atmospheric precipitation and snow. The amount of percolation varies from place to place and it depends on rainfall, characteristics of soils and characteristics of rocks, nature of terrain, temperature and humidity. But most of the places are contaminated due to anthropogenic and natural processes. In the present study an attempt has been made to assessment the potential recharge sites based on groundwater quality in terms of drinking and irrigation parameters in Panamarathupatti block, Salem, Tamil Nadu, India. The spatial distribution of water quality of the study area has been prepared based on GIS data. Village wise water qualities for drinking purpose suitable and unsuitable area are worked out. The irrigation quality has also been worked out for safe and unsafe area for individual villages. The results have show significant percentage of drinking and irrigation quality were unsuitable for recharge in the study area. As a result, both the water fields require protection from the anthropogenic activities to prevent further groundwater contamination.