Water Quality and Sediment Behaviour of the Future: Predictions for the
21st Century (Proceedings of Symposium HS2005 at IUGG2007, Perugia, July
2007). IAHS Publ. 314, 2007, 286-292.
Hydrogeochemistry of groundwater in a part of the hard
rock terrain of central India
L. P. Chourasia
Department of Applied Geology, Dr H. S. Gour
University, Sagar 470003, M. P., India
lpc55@ rediffmail.com
Abstract Hydrogeochemical
investigations have been carried out to determine the sources of dissolved ions
in groundwater in a part of the hard rock terrain of central India. The high
concentration of SiO2 and various geochemical signatures reflect the
weathering of minerals. The groundwater chemistry favours the formation of clay
minerals due to evaporation. The positive saturation index of calcite and the
higher ratio of Mg/Ca and Na/Ca also support the occurrence of evaporation. The
evaporation enhances the concentration of ions in groundwater during the
summer. The high content of sulphate and chloride in some groundwater, and the
occurrence of kankar in the area suggest a long history of evaporation. Greater
ion concentrations in the groundwater of the post-monsoon period compared with
the pre-monsoon period indicates the increasing addition of leachates into the
groundwater from the soil and anthropogenic activities, which leads to a
deteriorating quality of groundwater. The Gibbs diagram shows that the
groundwater chemistry is controlled by rock weathering to some extent and that
evaporation is a dominant factor leading to the deterioration of the quality of
groundwater in the area.
Key words hydrogeochemistry; groundwater; terrain; central India