Impact Assessment Due to Geochemical Effects on the Quality of Groundwater along the Bay of Bengal of Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, India

Aims: The present study was aimed at finding the geomorphological impacts on the quality groundwater quality along the Bay of Bengal of Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Study Design: Groundwater samples were collected and assessed for the identification of various geochemical impacts on the quality of groundwater along the coast.

Place and Duration of Study: Groundwater samples along the coast of Bay of Bengal of Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh were collected during two seasons in April and November of 2015.

Methodology: 24 groundwater samples of bore and open wells along the coast were systematically analyzed for their physiochemical parameters during Pre and Post Monsoon seasons. The results were interpreted for various geochemical assessments with correlative approach in order to evaluate the impacts on the groundwater quality.

Results: The correlated statistical analysis revealed that there are deviations in some parameters from the prescribed WHO and ISI standards of potable water. The concentrations of some of the constituents were found relatively high in the Post Monsoon season than in the Pre Monsoon. The mechanisms controlling the groundwater chemistry were found to be attributed to the rock weathering. The geochemical evolution of the zones indicates that there was much movement in the groundwater under the influence of the local topography and thus at times favoring the development of intrusion zones along the coast. The hydro-geochemical facies with respect to the flow pattern of water indicated that the groundwater did suffer due to the impacts of the elevated as the study area is topographically a low lying area.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that the groundwater along the Bay of Bengal coast of Visakhapatnam has been under sever geological and chemical impacts from the local and elevated lands. The recent geomorphological changes that took place along the coast have impacted its quality and the development of intrusion zones is evident from the assessment.