Integrating Multivariate Statistical Analysis with GIS for Groundwater in Pambar SubBasin, Tamil Nadu, India

Groundwater samples from Pambar subbasin were analyzed for chemical parameters. For present study 61 water samples were collected the study area in a regular distribution. The higher values of most of the parameters were found in the area of old settlement, while lower values observed in new settlements. This shows clear impact of land use on groundwater. Water quality data collected from different localities are used in conjunction with multivariate statistical technique to identify key variables. The first four components were chosen for interpretation of the data, which accounts for 76.47% of the total variance in the data set. The maximum number of variables, i.e. Cl, Na, TH, TDS and EC were characterized by first component, while second component is characterized by PO4 and NO2. The third and fourth components were characterized by Na and K respectively. This shows that hydrochemical constituents of the groundwater are mainly controlled by TDS and EC. For cluster analysis Wards linkage method was used. The findings of the cluster analysis are presented in the form of dendrogram of the sampling stations (cases) as well as hydrochemical variables, which produced three major groupings, suggests that groundwater monitoring can be consolidated.