Abstract
The alluvial plains of the Ganges River system are known to hold one of the best aquifer systems in the world. The unique depositional pattern of the varied fluvial geomorphic features, e.g., channels versus floodplains, controls the disposition of varied lithology within the sediment assemblage, which in turn lays down the foundation for the aquifer-aquitard architecture within the Ganges basin. Hence, geomorphology is often used as a primary tool to understand the aquifer architecture that lies beneath at a shallow level. This article is aimed at establishing the effectiveness of using the fluvial geomorphic signatures to understand the shallow aquifer architecture of central Gangetic basin. The central Gangetic basin is mostly clay capped thus depicting a confined shallow aquifer, but a number of paleolake have been encountered at places due to migration of river through time. This area also exhibits dominance of active or abandoned channels, meander scrolls and point bars, with deposition of sand or coarser grained sediments. These geomorphic features being infiltration zones play a dominant role in increasing aquifer thickness and groundwater movement within the basin.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Annan A (2005) GPR methods for hydrogeological studies. Hydrogeophysics 185–213
Davis JL, Annan AP (1989) Ground-penetrating radar for high-resolution mapping of soil and rock stratigraphy. Geophys Prospect 531–551
Doolittle JA, Jenkinson B, Hopkins D, Ulmer M, Tuttle W (2006) Hydropedological investigations with ground-penetrating radar (GPR): estimating water-table depths and local ground-water flow pattern in areas of coarse-textured soils. Geoderma 131:317–329
Mukherjee A (2018) Groundwater of South Asia. Springer, Singapore. ISBN 978-981-10-3888-4
Mulligan A, Evans RL, Lizarralde D (2007) The role of paleolake in groundwater/seawater exchange. J Hydrol 335:313–329
Nanson GC (1980) Point bar and floodplain formation of the meandering Beatton River, northeastern British Columbia, Canada. Sedimentology 27:3–29
Raju NJ, Ram P, Dey S (2009) Groundwater quality in the lower Varuna River Basin, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh. J Geol Soc India 73(2):178–192
Shrivastava P, Singh IB, Sharma S, Shukla UK, Singhvi AK (2003) Late Pleistocene-Holocene hydrologic changes in the interfluve areas of the central Ganga Plain, India. Geomorphology 54:279–292
Shukla U, Raju N (2008) Migration of the Ganga river and its implication on hydro-geological potential of Varanasi area, UP, India. J Earth Syst Sci 489–498
Shukla UK, Singh IB, Sharma M, Sharma S (2001) A model of alluvial megafan sedimentation: Ganga Megafan. Sed Geol 144:243–262
Shukla UK, Bora DS, Singh CK (2009) Geomorphic positioning and depositional dynamics of river systems in Lower Siwalik Basin. Kumaun Himalaya 73(Mar):335–354
Singh IB (1996) Geological evolution of Ganga plain—an overview. J Palaeontol Soc India 41:99–137
Singh IB (2001) Proxy records of neotectonics, climate changes and anthropogenic activity in late Quaternary of Ganga Plain. In: National Symposium Role of Earth Science: Integrated Development and Related Societal Issues: Geological Survey of India Special Publication, 65(1)
Singh IB (2004) Late Quaternary history of the Ganga Plain. J Geol Soc India 64:431–454
Singh IB, Srivastava P, Sharma S, Sharma M, Singh DS, Rajagopalan G, Shukla UK (1999) Upland interfluve (Doab) deposition: alternative model to Muddy Overbank Deposits, Facies, pp 197–210
Sinha R, Tandon SK, Gibling MR, Bhattacharjee PS, Dasgupta AS (2005) Late Quaternary geology and alluvial stratigraphy of the Ganga Basin. Himalaya Geol 26:223–240
Skelly RL, Bristow CS, Ethridge FG (2003) Architecture of channel-belt deposits in an aggrading shallow sandbed braided river: the lower Niobrara River, Northeast Nebraska. Sed Geol 158:249–270
Slowik M (2016) The influence of meander bend evolution on the formation of multiple cutoffs: findings inferred from floodplain architecture and bend geometry. Earth Surf Proc Land 41:626–641
Smith DG (1987) Meandering river point bar lithofacies models: modern and ancient examples compared. In: Recent developments in fluvial sedimentology, pp 83–91
Srivastava P, Shukla UK (2009) Quaternary evolution of the Ganga River system: new quartz ages and a review of luminescence chronology. Himal Geol 30:85–94
Srivastava P, Shukla UK, Mishra P, Sharma M, Sharma S, Singh IB, Singhvi AK (2000) Luminescence chronology and facies development of Bhur sands in the interfluve region of central Ganga Plain, India. Current Sci 78:498–503
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Shaw, A. et al. (2018). Exploration of Groundwater-Enriched Aquifers of Central Gangetic Basin, India Using Geomorphic Signatures. In: Mukherjee, A. (eds) Groundwater of South Asia. Springer Hydrogeology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3889-1_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3889-1_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-3888-4
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-3889-1
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)