Land Use and Land Cover Changes and Its Implications on Groundwater Quality in Perambalur District, Tamil Nadu

Over the centuries, land areas converted for various activities such as agriculture, recreation, building construction and industries by humans. The process of changing the land can degrade the quality of natural resources. Groundwater is the major source of natural resources for humankind and depends on its usage. Monitoring groundwater quality is much important to attain a sustainable future. Regarding the intended use of water, water quality refers to its physical, chemical and biological properties. Recently, land use and land cover changes also determine the groundwater quality of a particular area. So, it is crucial to investigate the impact of land use on groundwater quality. This study has been carried out to assess the relationship between the changes in the land use and land cover and groundwater quality, along with the spatial identification of the significant source of water quality degradation in Perambalur District, Tamil Nadu. Satellite images from Landsat 8 OLI (2020) and Landsat 5 TM (2010) of the study area were used to identify the land use and land cover changes. The secondary groundwater quality data for 2010 and 2020 were collected from State Ground and Surface Water data centre, Tharamani. The water quality evaluation has been done using Water Quality Index (WQI) based on the WHO limits. Land use and Land cover were classified into five classes: agricultural land, build-up, vegetation, water body and barren land. The correlation analysis of water quality attributes and the land use land cover changes help the understanding of the relation between them. The monitoring the land use and land cover in Perambalur, it is confirmed that the land use and land cover changes play a key role in the water quality. The areas with more agricultural activities have a high degradation of water quality. So, this study would recommend the idea of frequent monitoring and implementation of management strategies.