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2 Grid Deviation Water Table
Grid deviation method applied in other quantitative studies appears to
provide a more convenient form of representation of hydrogeological variables (Saha
and Chakravarthy, 1963). To evaluate the recharge‐discharge zones this method is
widely adopted (Narasimha Prasad, 1984; Balasubramanian, 1986; Subramanian,
1994; Sakthimurugan, 1967 and Harinarayanan, 2000). It is objective, more
informative and brings out more sharply the regional trend by eliminating the local
interference (Biswas and Chaterjee, 1967). Grid deviation water tables for the study
area have been prepared by using the following methodology.
1. Bimonthly water levels, measured below ground level have been recalculated
to water level altitude Above Mean Sea Level (AMSL).
2. An average elevation of water table for each observation well has been
computed for the months from January to December
3. Annual average water level of each well has been computed. This is called the
well average.
4. Using the well average of wells, a zonal average has been computed for
watershed and it is called the grid average.
5. The deviation of values between well averages and the grid average for all
wells have been computed.
6. The deviation can be used to prepare a thematic contour map called grid
deviation groundwater table map.
The grid deviation water level and well average of the area is presented in
Table 5.5. The grid deviation water table map of the study area is given in Fig. 5.19.
The positive zones are recharge zones and negative zones are discharge zones, and
are lying nearer to confluence point. The wide spacing of contours and the
disposition in discharge is suggestive of flat to gentle hydraulic gradient of water
table and moderate permeability of the formation. It is found that the area under the
discharge is more that the recharge zone. The normal groundwater potentiality is
expected to be higher in the discharge zones than the recharge zones
(Balasubramanian, 1986).
153
Figure 5.19: Grid deviation map of the study area
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5.14 Statistical analysis of waterlevel data of borewell/openwell of
the study area
It has been observed during the last five decades that, percentage
groundwater utilizations have almost doubled. There are arguments that extensive
rice and wheat growth has encouraged the people to extract more and more
groundwater causing decline in the water table. The declining water table reduces
runoff due to base flow and hence the inflow to a wetland (Sanjay k. Jain et. al.,
2008,). For detecting the trend in changes of the water level data statistical trend
analysis is performed.
5.14.1 Nonparametric test for trend detection
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Regional Kendal test, the water level data of the study area was processed on the
computer coded program developed by USGS (2005). The performance of this
program was explained in detail when Mann‐Kendal and Seasonal Kendal test was
explained. In this program the third format (itype = 3) produces the Regional Kendall
(RK) test.
5.14.2 Output of Regional Kendal Test of Water Level Data of Pre and Post
monsoon (19902007)
The regional Kendal test was performed on pre and post‐monsoon water
table data. Normally, the groundwater levels are recorded four times in a year such
as the pre‐monsoon, monsoon), post‐monsoon and irrigation periods. The unit of the
groundwater level records is meter below ground level (m.b.g.l). The pre‐ and post‐
monsoon monitoring occasions are more important as they reflect the influence of
both natural and anthropogenic intervention more accurately. The out puts of the
regional Kendal test are presented in the following Tables 5.8 and 5.9.
Regional Kendall Test for Trend US Geological Survey, 2005
Data set: Pre‐monsoon‐ Regional Kendal test, input type 3
The record is 18 years at 11 locations beginning in year 1990.
The tau correlation coefficient is 0.136
S = 224. z = 2.585 p = 0.0097
The estimated median trend throughout the region during years 1990
through 2007 is:
Change in Y = 0.5000E‐01 per year.
Table 5.8: Regional Kendal test output of pre‐monsoon
156
Regional Kendall Test for Trend US Geological Survey, 2005
Data set: Post‐monsoon‐ Regional Kendal test, input type 3
The record is 18 years at 11 locations beginning in year 1990.
The tau correlation coefficient is 0.128
S = 211. z = 2.432 p = 0.0150
The estimated median trend throughout the region during years 1990
through 2007 is:
Change in Y = 0.5359E‐01 per year.
Table 5.9: Regional Kendal test output of post‐monsoon
5.14.3 Interpretation of Trend Analysis of Water Level Data
In both the tests, the level of significance was tested at 0.05 or 5%.
Comparing this value to the p values obtained by the software in both the tests it can
be said indicates that in both the output files the p value is smaller than 0.05. By this
the Null hypothesis which states that there is no trend gets rejected. The application
of this has resulted in the identification of trend direction of the groundwater levels
in the study area. As the groundwater levels are recorded in m.b.g.l. (i.e., meters
below ground level), the positive p value indicate a drop in the water table. Hence, a
positive trend indicates the decline of water level. As each monitoring well reflects
the groundwater dynamics of the surrounding area, each trend value gives an idea
about the water table fluctuation of that area over years.
Scatter diagrams plotted for all the 11 stations of both the pre‐monsoon and
post‐monsoon seasons (Fig. 5.21 and Fig. 5.22) indicate an upward positive trend for
majority of the wells and reveals decline of water levels for these observation wells.
157
20.00 10
15.00 8
6
mbgl
mbgl
10.00
4
5.00 2
0.00 0
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
year year
Kamagowdanahalli Karnakuppe
20 25
15 20
15
mbgl
mbgl
10
10
5 5
0 0
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
year year
Chikka Hunsur Udavepur
10 10
8 8
6 6
mbgl
mbgl
4 4
2 2
0 0
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
year year
Hunsur Gawdegere
15 15.00
10 10.00
mbgl
mbgl
5 5.00
0 0.00
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
year year
Hanagodu Gawdegere(Dug‐well)
158
15.00 25
20
10.00 15
mbgl
mbgl
5.00 10
5
0.00 0
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
year year
Kattemalavadi Somanahalli
20
15
mbgl
10
5
0
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
year
Coimbatore colony
Figure 5.20: Scatter plot of water level data of pre‐ monsoon water level data
15.00 4
3
10.00
mbgl
mbgl
2
5.00
1
0.00 0
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
year year
Kamagowdanahalli Karnakuppe
15 25
20
10 15
mbgl
mbgl
5 10
5
0 0
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
year year
Chikka Hunsur Udavepura
159
10 10
8 8
6 6
mbgl
mbgl
4 4
2 2
0 0
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
year year
Hunsur Gawdegere
10 10.00
8 8.00
6 6.00
mbgl
mbgl
4 4.00
2 2.00
0 0.00
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
year year
Hanagodu Gawdegere(Dug‐well)
15.00 25
20
10.00 15
mbgl
mbgl
5.00 10
5
0.00 0
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
year year
Kattemalavadi Somanahalli
15
10
mbgl
0
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
year
Coimbatore colony
Figure 5.21: Scatter plot of water level data of post‐ monsoon water level data
160
The monitoring stations showing groundwater level decline in terms of
positive trends were more in number than the stations showing negative trends. The
advantage of adopting the Regional Kendall test is that it looks for consistency in the
direction of trend at each location, and tests whether there is evidence for a general
trend in a consistent direction throughout the region. Patterns at an individual
location occurring in the same direction as the regional trend provide some evidence
toward a significant regional trend, even if there is insufficient evidence of trend for
that one location. So it can be said that the overall trend of the region shows a
decline in the water level. The decline of the water level of the observation wells can
be attributed to the variation of the rainfall. In chapter 3 it was discussed that there
was a slight downward trend in the amount of rainfall received in the study area.
To link climate variables with groundwater levels, the weather station should
exist in the recharge zone of the observation well (Van der Kamp and Maathuis,
1991; Chen et al., 2002). But, for a large‐scale groundwater‐monitoring network it
may not be possible. However, the groundwater level data itself provides a direct
means of measuring the overall impacts of both natural and anthropogenic changes
to groundwater resources (Taylor and Alley, 2001). Such kind of a condition was seen
in the study area where all the gauge stations were not close to the mentoring
stations. For example in 2002 due to drought condition a deficit amount of rainfall
was observed when compared to the normal rainfall, due to which the water level
dropped significantly. This study shows that the groundwater levels of the network
observation wells are very sensitive to the monsoon rainfall, and any irregularity in
rainfall influences the groundwater levels. Another important reason which has
contributed to dipping of the groundwater levels is the increased anthropogenic
activities and increase in demand which puts a stress on the water level and revealed
that the recharge is not significant enough to balance the groundwater discharge due
to the anthropogenic and natural processes.
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