Groundwater contamination modelling in Ayad River Basin, Udaipur

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Hydrogeology
• Water Resource Management

Background:

• Groundwater is essential for agriculture, domestic, and industrial use.
• Human activities are increasingly contaminating this vital freshwater resource.
• The Ayad River Basin in Rajasthan faces significant groundwater quality challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To model and predict groundwater contamination in the Ayad River Basin.
• To assess the impact of waste disposal sites on water quality.
• To provide data-driven recommendations for groundwater management.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the FEFLOW simulation code for numerical modeling.
• Developed a steady-state groundwater contaminant prediction model.
• Simulated trends for total dissolved solids (TDS), nitrate, and fluoride over five years.

Main Results:

• Groundwater contamination, including TDS, nitrate, and fluoride, increases eastward.
• Contamination is linked to the Titadi and Baleecha waste disposal sites.
• High nitrate levels correlate with agricultural fertilizer use.

Conclusions:

• 23 out of 27 scenarios suggest irrigation suitability with treatment for drinking water.
• Recommends a chemical sensor network and web-enabled FEFLOW model for real-time monitoring.
• Proposes a mobile app for water usage guidance and health risk alerts.