Groundwater Quality of Central Western India for Agricultural Use

The data available for ground water were used for computing irrigation water quality in central western parts of India (Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharastra) and were classified as per standards of Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal for its suitability for use in irrigation. The different water quality parameters such as electrical conductivity, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and residual sodium carbonate (RSC) were computed using standard formulae. The groundwater quality of different states shows that the water available in Chhattisgarh is safe for irrigation and not even a single sample out of 293 was of poor quality. Irrigation water available in Madhya Pradesh shows variations in its quality and about 7% water is alkali in nature and it is found in western part of the state (Mandsaur, Neemuch, Ujjain, Ratlam, Indore, Bhind, Morena and Oatia districts) and about 4% are saline in nature. The irrigation water available in Maharashtra also shows quality variation with about 7% saline and 4% alkali in nature and mostly in central part of the state where rainfall is comparatively low. In all, about 90% water is safe for irrigation, 5% falls under saline categories where as 5% waters are alkaline in reaction. This picture is changing quickly over time, as in search of irrigation water farmers are trying to expose deeper layers and encountering more saline-alkai waters particularly in western Madhya Pradesh and central Maharashtra.