Identification of well parameters by the GIS and resistivity (RS) methods in the Hamirpur district (H.P.)

Identifying an appropriate well location is challenging for sustainable ground water resource management in hilly, undulating settings, particularly for municipal supply in urban and rural communities. The present study focussed on identifying the suitable well setting using integrated remote sensing (RS), Geographical Information System (GIS) and resistivity technique in Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh, India. The resistivity technique is a notable geophysical investigating tool to acquire possible groundwater zones through subsurface formation. GIS and RS on the other hand has the capability to monitors, preserve and assesses spatial aided groundwater prospects over a specific region. In the first phase, six different geo-environmental factors were used as decision criteria, and related GIS tools to manage, analyse and standardised the layers. In the second phase, 26 vertical electrical sounding (VES) surveys were carried out on the identified potential groundwater zones, while keeping in view the suitability constraints and other attributes. Further validations were established through reference pumping test data. It is observed that GIS-delineated potential groundwater zones, hydrogeology, estimated hydraulic and geoelectric parameters play a significant role in designating suitable well settings of the study area under consideration.