GROUND WATER

Boddepalli Manikanta, Asst. Prof.,

AEC

8/23/2023
GROUND WATER

Influent stream Effluent stream

Boddepalli Manikanta, Asst. Prof.,

AEC

8/23/2023
GROUND WATER

Influent stream Effluent stream

Boddepalli Manikanta, Asst. Prof.,

AEC

8/23/2023
FLOW OF
GROUND
WATER

Boddepalli Manikanta, Asst. Prof.,

AEC

8/23/2023
Importance of Ground Water

Boddepalli Manikanta, Asst. Prof.,

AEC

8/23/2023
 Importance of Ground Water

Boddepalli Manikanta, Asst. Prof.,

AEC

8/23/2023
Availability of Ground Water (Global)

Boddepalli Manikanta, Asst. Prof.,

AEC

8/23/2023
Availability of Ground Water (Global)

8/23/2023
Availability
of Ground
Water
(India)

Boddepalli Manikanta, Asst. Prof.,

AEC 9

8/23/2023
 Availability of Ground
Water (India)

August, 2020

Boddepalli Manikanta, Asst. Prof.,

AEC 10

8/23/2023
Availability of
Ground Water
(India)

11

8/23/2023
SOURCES OF GROUND WATER
Precipitation: Rain and snowfall are Snowmelt: Melting snow in
the primary sources of groundwater mountainous regions gradually infiltrates
recharge. When precipitation falls the soil and contributes to groundwater
onto the ground, a portion of it recharge. This is particularly important
in areas where snow accumulates during
infiltrates the soil and eventually
winter and melts during the warmer
percolates through the soil layers to
months.
form groundwater.
Irrigation: In agricultural regions,
Surface Water: Rivers, lakes, and irrigation water that is applied to crops
streams can contribute to can percolate into the ground and
groundwater recharge. When these recharge groundwater. This can be both
water bodies have excess water, it can intentional (as in irrigation practices) and
seep into the ground and replenish unintentional (excessive water use 1
Boddepalli Manikanta Asst.
groundwater reservoirs.
Prof., AEC
leading to runoff and infiltration). 2
SOURCES OF GROUND WATER
Seepage from Lakes and Ponds: Industrial and Domestic
Water from lakes, ponds, and Wastewater: Treated or untreated
wetlands can seep into the ground and wastewater discharged into the
recharge groundwater aquifers. ground can infiltrate and recharge
groundwater. However, this source
Leakage from Water Supply should be carefully managed to
Systems: In urban areas, leaking prevent contamination of
water supply pipes and sewage groundwater resources.
systems can introduce water into the
ground, contributing to groundwater Natural Springs: Springs are places
recharge. where groundwater naturally flows to
the surface due to geological
formations. They are often formed 1
Boddepalli Manikanta Asst.
Prof., AEC when underground aquifers intersect 3
the land surface.
SOURCES OF GROUND WATER
Artificial Recharge: In some areas, Availability of groundwater
water is intentionally injected into the depends on factors such as the
ground to replenish depleted aquifers.
geological characteristics of the
This practice is called artificial
recharge and is used to manage water area, the amount of
resources in areas facing groundwater precipitation, the rate of water
depletion. extraction, and the overall
hydrological balance.
Return Flow: Water that is used for Sustainable management of
irrigation, industrial processes, or
groundwater resources is crucial
domestic purposes and is not
consumed or evaporated may return to ensure their long-term
to the ground as runoff or percolation, availability and prevent1
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Boddepalli Manikanta Asst.
contributing to groundwater recharge.
Prof., AEC overexploitation.
 Geological Formations in Groundwater Regime

❖ Aquifers
❖ Aquiclude
❖ Aquifuge
❖ Aquitard

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Boddepalli Manikanta Asst. 5
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 Geological Formations in Groundwater Regime
Aquifer
• An aquifer is a geologic formation, or a group of formations, which contains
water and permits significant amount of water to move through it under
ordinary field conditions.

Aquiclude
• A relatively impermeable material that does not yield appreciable quantitates of
water to wells i.e. may contain water but is incapable of transmitting significant
quantities of water under ordinary field conditions e.g. clay, shale.

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 Geological Formations in Groundwater Regime
Aquitard
A poorly permeable geologic formation that transmits water at a very low rate
compared to an aquifer e.g. sandy clay. However, it may transmit appreciable
water to or from adjacent aquifers where sufficiently thick and may constitute an
important groundwater storage zone.

Aquifuge
A geologic formation neither containing nor transmitting water e.g. fresh granite,
basalt.

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Prof., AEC
Comparison of Geological formations

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Prof., AEC
 • An aquifer is a geologic formation, or a group of formations,
AQUIFERS which contains water and permits significant amount of water
to move through it under ordinary field conditions.

• Other terms used are groundwater reservoir (or basin) and water bearing zone (or formation).
• Aquifers are generally extensive and may be overlain or underlain by a confining bed.
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Types of Aquifers 1. Confined Aquifer (Pressure or piezometric aquifers)
2. Unconfined Aquifer (Phreatic, Water table)
3. Leaky Aquifer (Semi-confined)
4. Perched Aquifers

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 Confined Aquifer (Pressure or The water in a confined aquifer is
piezometric aquifers) called confined or artesian water.
Artesian water flows freely without
pumping because of high pressure.
The well producing such water is
called an artesian or a free flowing
well.

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Boddepalli Manikanta Asst. 1
Prof., AEC
 UnConfined Aquifer (Phreatic,Water table)

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Prof., AEC
 Leaky Aquifer (Semi-confined)
A leaky aquifer is underlain or
overlain by semi-pervious strata.

• Pumping from a well in a leaky aquifer removes water in two ways: by

horizontal flow within the aquifer and by vertical leakage or seepage through
the semi-confining layer into the aquifer.

• Aquifers that are completely confined or unconfined occur less frequently than
leaky aquifers.

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Prof., AEC
 Perched Aquifers

• Perched aquifers, are special kinds of phreatic aquifers occurring whenever an

impervious (or semi-pervious) layer of limited extent is located between the
water table of a phreatic aquifer and the ground surface.

• Small groundwater body, separated from the main groundwater body, to be

formed.
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Boddepalli Manikanta Asst. 4
Prof., AEC
 Perched Aquifers

• Sometimes, these aquifers exist only during a relatively short part of each year
as they drain to the underlying phreatic aquifer. Therefore wells taping such
aquifers yield only temporary or small quantities of water.

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Boddepalli Manikanta Asst. 5
Prof., AEC
 TYPES OF WELLS

• Wells are structures designed to access groundwater for various purposes,

including drinking water supply, irrigation, industrial use, and more. Different
types of wells are used based on factors like the depth of the water table, the
geological characteristics of the area, and the intended use of the water.
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 Dug Wells:

• Location: Dug wells are shallow wells dug by hand or using excavation
equipment. They are often found in areas with a high water table.
• Importance: Dug wells are simple and cost-effective ways to access groundwater
for domestic use in rural areas. However, they are susceptible to contamination
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and are not suitable for all environments.
Boddepalli Manikanta Asst. 7
Prof., AEC
 Driven Wells:

• Location: Driven wells are typically installed

in sandy or gravelly formations. They are
driven into the ground using specialized
equipment.
• Importance: Driven wells are relatively easy
to install and can provide a reliable water
source for domestic use and small-scale
irrigation. They are commonly used in rural
and remote areas.
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Boddepalli Manikanta Asst. 8
Prof., AEC
 Bored Wells:

• Location: Bored wells are larger in diameter compared to driven wells and are
often used in areas with clay or consolidated rock layers.
• Importance: Bored wells are suitable for both domestic and small-scale
agricultural purposes. They can yield higher water volumes compared to smaller
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wells.
Boddepalli Manikanta Asst. 9
Prof., AEC
 Hand-Dug Wells:

• Location: Hand-dug wells are typically found in regions where the water table is
relatively shallow, and manual labor is used to dig the well.
• Importance: Hand-dug wells are a traditional method of accessing groundwater
in many parts of the world. They are vital for local communities that lack access
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to other water sources.
Boddepalli Manikanta Asst. 0
Prof., AEC
 Tube Wells:

• Location: Tube wells consist of a perforated tube or pipe that is driven or drilled
into the ground to reach the water table.
• Importance: Tube wells are commonly used for agricultural irrigation and
provide a consistent source of water for crops. They are especially important in
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areas with unreliable rainfall.
Boddepalli Manikanta Asst. 1
Prof., AEC
 Monitoring Wells:

• Location: Monitoring wells are strategically placed to monitor groundwater

levels and quality in specific areas.
• Importance: Monitoring wells are critical for assessing the health of aquifers,
tracking changes in water levels, and detecting potential contamination.
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 Artificial recharge of ground water
• Artificial recharge of groundwater
involves deliberately enhancing the
natural process of groundwater
replenishment by adding water to
aquifers. This practice is used to mitigate
groundwater depletion, improve water
availability, and prevent land subsidence
in areas where overexploitation of
groundwater resources has occurred.
Artificial recharge can be achieved
through both direct and indirect methods 3
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Prof., AEC
 Direct Methods of Artificial Recharge
Infiltration Basins and Recharge Ponds:
• In this method, surface water from rivers, lakes, or treated wastewater is diverted
into specially designed basins or ponds where it can infiltrate into the ground.
• The water infiltrates through the unsaturated zone, recharging the underlying
aquifer.
Injection Wells:
• Injection wells involve the direct injection of surface water or treated wastewater
into the ground through boreholes.
• This method is suitable for areas where there is limited space for surface
infiltration, or when treated water needs to be introduced directly into the
aquifer. 3
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Prof., AEC
 In-Direct Methods of Artificial Recharge
Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR):
MAR involves storing excess surface water during wet periods in surface
reservoirs, and then intentionally releasing it into the ground when water demand
is high.
This can be achieved through infiltration basins, injection wells, or other methods.
Recharge Wells:
Recharge wells are similar to extraction wells, but they are used to inject water into
the aquifer instead of extracting it.
The injected water replenishes the groundwater levels and improves the aquifer's
overall health.
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Prof., AEC
 In-Direct Methods of Artificial Recharge
Bank Filtration:
Bank filtration involves diverting surface water from a nearby river or lake to
infiltrate through the ground before reaching the well or pumping station.
The soil acts as a natural filter, improving the quality of the water before it enters
the aquifer.

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Prof., AEC