Hydrostratigraphy and Its Relation to Ground-Water Potentiality of an Area of the Ganges River Delta in Bangladesh

Abstract

To identify the potential groundwater bearing zones for future groundwater resources development of the study area, an investigation has been made using lithology, groundwater monitoring and elevation data. The stratigraphic cross-sections of the area reveal six distinct hydrostratigraphic features viz. clay-silt-sand, fine sand, fine to medium sand, medium sand, medium to coarse sand and coarse sand. On the basis of lithological information, the groundwater bearing zone of the area has been divided into two main hydrostratigraphic units viz. aquitard and aquifer, which consist of clay-silt-sand and sands of different grain sizes respectively. The aquifer zone is further divided into two categories: “small scale aquifer” made dominantly of fine and “main aquifer” comprising of fine-medium to coarse sand. The annual fluctuation of water table in the study area is observed from 4.9 m to 5.6 m. The area is demarcated as three different groundwater bearing zones based on Catastrophe theory using GIS.