Application of GIS and RS in Hydrogeology: Insights from River Basin Studies of South India

Hydrogeology and GIS integration mark a transformative era in managing Earth’s vital water resources. This chapter explores their synergy, emphasizing GIS tools for precision in groundwater exploration and monitoring. GIS, a bridge between spatial data and analysis, plays a crucial role in hydrogeological research, addressing challenges like contamination and sustainable water resource management. Its applications span spatial analysis, groundwater modeling, resource assessment, emergency response, and more. GIS's dynamic evolution offers hope for informed decisions and sustainable water resource utilization. Comprehensive data collection methods, including field surveys and satellite imagery, are explored, emphasizing structured databases and effective data management. GIS’s pivotal role in creating maps and visualizations for hydrogeological datas are highlighted, showcasing spatial analysis, buffer analysis, overlay analysis, and time-series analysis. Time-series analysis, exemplified by Vamanapuram dug wells, illustrates dynamic patterns, revealing seasonal influences and prompting further analysis for effective water management. Water quality zonation using GIS involves gathering spatially referenced data, thematic layer generation, overlay analysis, and creating zones. Challenges in overlay analysis are addressed, emphasizing data quality and normalization using AHP for complex decision-making. River basin studies and GIS integration highlight GIS's role in watershed delineation, flow pattern calculation, and environmental impact assessments. DEMs, crucial for hydrological modeling, floodplain mapping, and infrastructure planning, contribute to precise topographic information. The physiography map of South India, categorized by elevation ranges using DEM data, aids resource management, environmental planning, and disaster risk assessment.