Spatio-temporal Analysis of Groundwater Recharge, Storage Anomalies, and Aquifer Variability under Diverse Geological Units of the Wainganga River Basin
Pushplata Aherwar *
Department of Soil and Water Engineering, JNKVV, Jabalpur, (M. P.), India.
S. K. Pyasi
Department of Soil and Water Engineering, JNKVV, Jabalpur, (M. P.), India.
S. K. Sharma
Department of Soil and Water Engineering, JNKVV, Jabalpur, (M. P.), India.
Y. K. Tiwari
Department of Soil and Water Engineering, JNKVV, Jabalpur, (M. P.), India.
Umesh Singh
Department of Mathematics and Stastics, JNKVV, Jabalpur, (M. P.), India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Groundwater is a major freshwater resource supporting agricultural, domestic, and industrial activities in central India. However, increasing groundwater extraction and climatic variability have intensified groundwater stress in hard-rock aquifer systems.
Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate long-term groundwater recharge dynamics, groundwater storage anomalies (GWSA), and spatial variability across diverse geological formations of the Wainganga River basin using groundwater level observations from 2000–2020.
Method: A total of 249 observation wells distributed across major geological formations including Deccan Trap, Betul Gneiss, Lower Gondwana, Sausar Group, Khairagarh Group, Acid Intrusive/Granite, and Laterite/Bauxite were analysed. Groundwater recharge was estimated using the Water Table Fluctuation (WTF) method based on pre- and post-monsoon groundwater level fluctuations and aquifer-specific yield values. Groundwater storage anomalies were calculated using long-term mean groundwater storage, while spatial variability was assessed through standard deviation analysis.
Results: The results revealed considerable temporal and spatial variability in groundwater behaviour across different geological formations. Pre-monsoon groundwater depth reached a maximum of 21.35 m, indicating severe groundwater depletion during drought years. Post-monsoon groundwater levels showed substantial recharge variability controlled by geological characteristics and monsoonal rainfall. Groundwater recharge estimation indicated that the Deccan Trap formation contributed the highest recharge, varying from 1048 MCM in 2014 to 1790 MCM in 2019, whereas total basin recharge ranged from 1907 MCM to 3015.97 MCM during the study period. Groundwater storage anomaly analysis revealed severe groundwater stress during 2014 and 2020, with the Khairagarh Group exhibiting the highest depletion (−14.7 MCM). In contrast, significant groundwater recovery was observed during 2010 due to high monsoonal recharge. Spatial variability analysis demonstrated strong heterogeneity in groundwater storage distribution, with the Khairagarh Group showing the highest spatial variability (20.01 MCM), while Acid Intrusive/Granite and Sausar Group formations maintained relatively stable groundwater conditions.
Conclusion: The study highlights the strong influence of geological formations and monsoonal variability on groundwater recharge and storage dynamics within the Wainganga River basin. The findings provide important scientific information for sustainable groundwater management, artificial recharge planning, and identification of groundwater-stressed regions in hard-rock terrains of central India.
Keywords: Groundwater management, groundwater recharge, groundwater storage anomaly, hard-rock aquifers, hydrogeology, spatial variability, Wainganga River basin, water table fluctuation