Abstract:
The area of study is around the Super thermal power plant (STPP) which is located in the
Darlipali village in lephripara taluk of Sundargarh district,Odisha.. The site is located between
21 ° 52'57 "N and 22 ° 03'32" N latitude and 83 ° 49'29 "E longitude and 83 ° 57'31" E
longitude and is well connected to Sundargarh by road. The field study was conducted in May
2016. In this study, samples of groundwater and surface water were collected for isotope
characterization in the 10 km zone of Darlipali STPP. To identify groundwater isotope
signatures, samples were collected from open pits, pipe wells and hand pumps, and surface
water samples were collected from ponds and rivers. On-site measurements such as sample
temperature, pH, conductivity and all other relevant site information were also recorded.
Samples were collected and analyzed for isotope composition at the Roorkee National
Institute of Hydrology. Oxygen and hydrogen isotope measurements were performed using a
dual-input isotope mass spectrometer (GV instruments, UK) with automatic sample
preparation units. The overall accuracy based on repeated 10-point repeated measurements of
each sample was ± 0.1 for δ 18 O and ± 1 for δD.
The enrichment in δ18O and δD observed in river water clearly indicates that surface water is
subject to greater enrichment by evaporation. Evaporation in some areas is very high and the
lightest isotope evaporates, enriching the mass of water in the heavier isotope. The results
allow us to conclude that the groundwater in the area is recharged with rainwater during the
pre-monsoon period
