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Integrated geophysical and chemical study in the lower subbasin of Gadilam River, Tamilnadu, India

¹ Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu 608002, India; geoprasanna{at}gmail.com
² Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu 608002, India; chidambaram_s{at}rediffmail.com
³ Department of Agriculture, Pondicherry, India; pethu_geo{at}yahoo.co.in
⁴ Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu 608002, India; moorthy_ks{at}yahoo.com
⁵ Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu 608002, India; johngeo32{at}yahoo.com
⁶ Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu 608002, India; vijayanand_pa{at}yahoo.co.in
⁷ Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu 608002, India; breezevasanth{at}gmail.com

M.V. Prasanna is a research fellow in a project on hydrogeochemical and isotopic studies sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. He obtained his M.Sc. degree in applied geology in 2004 from Annamalai University. His current research interests include hydrogeochemical processes, isotope geochemistry, geochemical modeling, and geophysical studies.

S. Chidambaram has teaching and research experience of more than 12 years. He is a researcher in the Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University. He has conducted several funded research projects and consultancy work in the area of hydrogeochemistry. His areas of interests include hydrogeochemistry, geochemical modeling, and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies.

S. Pethaperumal is an officer working in the Department of Agriculture (Hydrogeology Division), Pondicherry. He obtained his M.Sc. degree in geology in 1985 from Madurai Kamaraj University. His research interests include hydrology and geochemistry.

K. Srinivasamoorthy has teaching and research experience of more than 10 years. He is a researcher in the Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University. He has conducted several funded research projects in the area of hydrogeochemistry. His areas of interests include hydrogeochemistry, geophysics, and pollution studies.

A. John Peter is a research fellow in a project on fluoride contamination in groundwater sponsored by the University Grant Commission, Government of India. He obtained his M.Sc. degree in applied geology in 2005 from Annamalai University. His current research interests include hydrogeochemical processes, water quality, and pollution studies.

P. Anandhan has teaching and research experience of more than 6 years. He is a lecturer in the Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University. His areas of interest include hydrogeochemistry and geochemical modeling studies.

M. Vasanthavigar is a research fellow in a project on groundwater geochemistry sponsored by the University Grant Commission, Government of India. He obtained his M.Sc. degree in applied geology in 2006 from Annamalai University. His current research interests include hydrogeochemical processes, water quality, and pollution studies.

Geoelectrical surveys provide an effective way to image the subsurface and the groundwater zone without a large number of observation wells. Resistivity sounding generally identifies the subsurface formations such as aquifer zone as well as the formations saturated with saline or contaminated water. The integration technique in groundwater by geochemical analysis and geophysical survey helps in identification of salt water intrusion and contamination by industrial effluents. A resistivity survey was conducted in a coastal aquifer lying in the lower part of the Gadilam River basin, Tamilnadu, India. When the resistivity interpretation becomes confusing, chemical analysis data prove to be a powerful method of identification of subsurface formations, groundwater zones, the groundwater salinity or anthropogenic contamination, and their causes. The interpretation of data reveals that contaminated water near the industrial effluent was identified at shallow depths at Karaikadu suggested by higher ionic concentrations. The saline water intrusion is noted in the deeper aquifer with low resistivity values. Good potential water was noted in Ramapuram and Naduveerapattu, which are located away from the coast.