Assessment of Groundwater Trends in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh: A Statistical Approach

Abstract

Groundwater is a critical resource for the development of any region. In Bhopal, groundwater is also used for various purposes, including domestic use and irrigation. Overexploitation due to increasing demand coupled with pollution raises concern about the sustainability of groundwater supplies in the future. This study aimed to analyze trends in groundwater parameters in Bhopal over 22 years using the Mann-Kendall (MK) and Modified Mann-Kendall (MMK) trend tests in MATLAB. The parameters SO42−, Ca2+, HCO3−, NO3−, and F− showed a decreasing trend, while the trends for pH were mixed. In contrast, the Na+ and Cl− levels significantly increased in both trend tests, suggesting the effects of various existing aquifer conditions and human activities whose long-term exposure may lead to harmful effects. The results showed that nitrate and electrical conductivity levels exceeded the permissible limits. The MMK method provided more accurate results than the traditional Mann-Kendall method. The findings of this study are valuable for policymakers and water resource managers.