Assessment of Irrigation (ground) Water Quality and Creation of Thematic Mapping in the Coastal Soils of R S Mangalam Block, Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu, India

Author: V. Arulkumar, J. Prabhaharan, R. Shanmugasundaram, A. Gurusamy and M.L. Mini

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Abstract

To developments in urbanisation and industrialization, which overuse groundwater, the quality of irrigation water is becoming more and more important. In July 2019 at various intervals, ground water samples were collected from 17 revenue villages in the R S Mangalam block of the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu. The samples were then processed and analyzed for various physico-chemical parameters including cationic and anionic characteristics to determine the quality and there by estimating the parameters such as SAR (Sodium Adsorption Ratio), RSC (Residual Sodium Carbonate), TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) (Soluble Sodium Percentage). The results revealed that even-though the cumulative mean values lie well within the range of safe limit for water quality, 37 percent of the water samples were reported with high salinity levels, the other37 percent of the samples were slightly saline and the rest 26 percent as non-saline. The highest value of pH (8.69), EC (47.93 dSm-1), SAR (37.46 meq/l), RSC (7.11meq/l), TDS (30675.20 meq/l) and SSP (80.57 %) were noted in the analyzed samples. The water quality parameters data along with GPS readings were used for the preparation of thematic maps of R S Mangalam block, Ramanathapuram district.

Keywords

Anions, Cations, Derived parameters, GPS and GIS techniques, Water quality

Conclusion

The information generated from the current study regarding the quality of irrigation water will be resourceful in the development of agricultural and environmental policies of sustainable irrigation. This will also serve as warning bell for taking up the water conservation measures. Georeferenced maps also help in monitoring changes in nutrient status over a period of time by revisiting with the help of GPS. It was discovered from the study that analysis of underground irrigation water samples of the Ramanathapuram block that majority of the water became alkaline in nature. The EC parameter of the tested samples ranged from 0.95 to 9.73 dSm-1 with a cumulative mean value of 3.88 dSm-1 which therein indicates that most of the water tends to be saline. The parameters RSC (Residual Sodium Carbonate) and SAR (Sodium Absorption Ratio) values indicated that there is a moderate level of problematic water in this zone. The SSP values indicated high soluble sodium percentage (> 50 %) in the Ramnad block. The effective management practices can be made in specific problematic areas.

References

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How to cite this article

V. Arulkumar, J. Prabhaharan, R. Shanmugasundaram, A. Gurusamy and M.L. Mini (2022). Assessment of Irrigation (ground) Water Quality and Creation of Thematic Mapping in the Coastal Soils of R S Mangalam Block, Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu, India. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(4): 217-224.