ANALYSIS OF GROUNDWATER FLOW FOR CENTRAL PART OF PALER SUB BASIN, ANDHRA PRADESH

Abstract

Groundwater is a vital source of water supply for drinking and agricultural needs, throughout the world. The management of groundwater resources largely depends on their proper assessment and development. Nutankal, a mandal of Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh, has been taken up for present study and forms the central part of catchment of Paler sub basin of Krishna river basin. Groundwater is the major source of water supply in the area. The groundwater in the study area is extracted mainly from unconfined aquifer. The natural ground water is derived mainly from direct rainfall percolation. The area was categorized, `Dark', based on ground water assessment, for the year 1993. In the present studygattempt has been made to calibrate a groundwater flow model to analyse the groundwater flow and to study the impact of artificial recharge and reduced pumpage on groundwater regime of the area. The climate is dry and semi-arid with normal annual rainfall of 830 mm. The major crop in the study area is paddy. Approximately 90% of the irrigation and domestic water supply is derived from groundwater. The geology of the area is weathered and fractured granites underlain by impervious bedrock. The groundwater occurs under water table conditions and the well yields range from 35 to 60 m3/day.