Identifying the impact of intensive agriculture practices on groundwater quality using GIS and multi-tracer techniques around Sangamner city, Maharashtra, India

Identifying the impact of intensive agriculture practices on groundwater quality gives an ample idea of associated hydro-chemical facies. This study deciphers the groundwater quality using physico-chemical analysis, multi-tracer and geographical information system (GIS) techniques. To investigate groundwater quality, 25 samples were collected from dug-well in May 2010 and May 2015. Physico-chemical analysis of pH, EC, TDS, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, HCO3-, SO42-, and NO3- carried out using American Public Health Association and integrated into AqQA and GIS software. The range of analysis increased in 2015, that is, pH (7.9–8.9), EC (910–9710 µS/cm), TDS (582–6214 mg/l), Na+ (34–850 mg/l), K+ (0.6–3.1 mg/l), Ca2+ (89–346 mg/l), Mg2+ (68–2960 mg/l), Cl- (89–1591 mg/l), HCO3- (200–799 mg/l), SO42- (49–210 mg/l) and NO3- (10–90 mg/l). Almost samples of pH, TDS, Mg2+, HCO3- and NO3- were above BIS standards. A present effort is an innovative approach for bids in similar hydro-geological conditions for sustainable groundwater quality management.