SESSION-15: Geographical Information System (GIS), and Remote Sensing
PAPER-3: Remote Sensing: A Tool for Groundwater Targeting 
Case Study in West Suvarnamuki River Basin, Karnataka, India.
Brahmananda S.B. and Suresh T.S.

Abstract:

Remote sensing technique is being increasingly used in groundwater exploration because of their utility in identifying and outlining various ground features, which serve as indicators for groundwater exploration. Hence in this context, for targeting groundwater potential, the hydrogeomorphological conditions and structural features of West Suvarnamuki River Basin has been studied using IRS data. The study basin is a tributary of River Vedavati, with an areal extent of 1831 sq.kms. The quantitative geomorphic studies indicate that the basin is a good catchment based on drainage density and also lithology and structures control the slope. The structural features viz., lineaments, reveal that groundwater prospects are better along and at the intersection of lineaments and also in valley fills. The lineament density of the basin is 0.17 km/km 2 , which is considered as a good index of groundwater accumulation. Aquifer characters indicate that “Transmissibility” and “Storage Coefficient” values are high in central region in the study basin, which coincides with the valley fills, in zones of lineaments concentration and also the converging flowlines. Hence, these interpretation along with hydrogeomorphic interpretations point out that groundwater potential zone in the study basin is confined to South Western and North Eastern parts of the basin, which is further substantiated by the specific capacity values of the wells in these regions.