Impact assessment of check dam over the variationsof groundwater quality and quantity

Abstract

Sustainable Planning and management of water resources from surface and ground water sources needs very careful management, especially in non perennial river basins like river Vaigai. This research work was carried out to assess the impact of check dam constructed in Kochadai by Madurai Corporation to augment the existing decommissioned water supply scheme to get ground water from Vaigai River aquifer by induced additional recharge due to water storage from natural runoff in Kochadai Check dam. The storage made in Vaigai River bed in Kochadai act as a large slow sand filter effect in water spread area of the check dam improve the groundwater quantity, quality, and livelihood of people along both sides of the flood bank and upstream of the Vaigai River water spread . The impacts ,cost economics and effectiveness of a check dam across Vaigai River, located in Madurai, Tamilnadu, India was assessed by comparing the quantity and quality and livelihood improvements aspects of Kochadai check dam water supply head works performance water yield data s Kochadai ground water level improvement compared to Madurai District ground water level fluctuation ,rain water normal annual recharge Vs actual induced recharge available from before and after construction . By comparing the water quality physical and chemical biological parameters shows the improvement due to infiltration effects of the aquifer filter media. The future scope of the recharge structures and design development analysis to make the way forward to future research and further development in water harvesting structures design to augment existing partially and seasonally functioning watersupply head works in similar rivers. Water level fluctuation method before construction of Kochadai check dam the annual percentage of recharge comes around 16.35 % for the year 2008 and 18.03% for the year 2009 .In Kochadai Check Dam the Ground water levels increased significantly even though the continuous withdrawal of daily an average of 3.375 Million liters and 1231.80 Mill