SPATIAL ANALYSIS INCLUDING INTERPOLATION TECHNIQUES FOR HOLISTIC GROUNDWATER MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT

Abstract: Ground water and surface water belong to the same hydrologic cycle and are inter-dependent. It is appropriate to consider these two sources together to work out the total water resources. The fact is that groundwater and surface water typically are in hydraulic continuity forming parts of a single system. There is thus growing awareness about the simultaneous development of surface water and groundwater, need to manage aquifer and the necessity for artificial recharge. Joint operation of the surface water and ground water system would require systematic management on basin and watershed levels. This in turn requires an understanding of the ground water system, its responses to the stresses imposed upon it and an understanding of the water resource utilization. The primary requirement in the simultaneous development of the surface and groundwater management is the inventory of water and land resources. This is prerequisite for quantitative and qualitative assessment of both the ground water and surface water resource development. Long time mean annual rate of recharge limits the potential ground water resource. It is important to appreciate the interrelated and independent nature of surface and ground water. Spatial analyses including interpolation techniques have potential for monitoring and representation of groundwater resource in any area.

Keywords: Holistic approach, water management, water resources.