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STUDY OF MORPHOTECTONICS AND HYDROGEOLOGY FOR GROUNDWATER 
PROSPECTING USING REMOTE SENSING AND GIS IN THE NORTH WEST 
HIMALAYA, DISTRICT SIRMOUR, HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA 
Thapa, R 1 , Kumar Ravindra 2 and Sood, R.K 1 
’Remote Sensing Centre, Science Technology & Environment, 34-SDA Complex, Kasumpti, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, 
India 171 009 India - rajenderthapag@gmail.com, ravindersood55@hotmail.com 
2 Centre of Advanced Study in Geology,Panjab University Chandigarh, 160 014 India - profravindra@hotmail.com. 
KEY WORDS: Satellite Imageries, Neo-Tectonics,GPS, Hydrogeology, Morphometric Analysis, Weightage, GIS, Ground Water 
Potential. 
ABSTRACT: 
The study of aerial photographs, satellite images topographic maps supported by ground tmth survey reveals that the study area has a 
network of interlinked subsurface fractures. The features of neo-tectonic activities in the form of faults and lineaments has a definite 
control on the alignment of many rivers and their tributaries. Geology and Morphotectonics describes the regional geology and its 
correlation with major and minor geological structures. The study of slopes, aspects, drainage network represents the hydrogeology 
and helps in categorization of the land forms into different hydro-geomorphological classes representing the relationship of the 
geological structures vis-à-vis the ground water occurrence. Data integration and ground water potential describes the designing of 
data base for ground water analysis in GIS platform and the use of hydro-geomorphological models based on satellite imageries 
based thematic maps for understanding the hydrogeology on a scientific basis with sound decision rules for ground water exploration 
and management. 
Introduction: 
The present case study focuses attention on the study of the 
hydrogeology of the foothill zone in the North-West Himalayas 
(Figure-1). Traditional method of ground water prospecting 
involved the identification of the potential ground water region 
and did not take into consideration the holistic approach of the 
hydrological entity under consideration and such studies 
involved observations that lead to probable or tentative 
locations for ground water targeting. Also the inability of the 
electrical resistivity surveys in the heterogeneous, inclined and 
folded sub-surface lithology in the Himalayan terrain has posed 
a new challenge in identifying the scarce subsurface water 
resources in this often drought hit but potentially fertile region 
of the Himalayan foothill zone which is densely populated and 
houses the industrial units of the state due to their proximity to 
the mainland. An attempt has been made to integrate these 
information in a GIS environment to analyze the result for 
identifying suitable ground water potential region in the study 
area. 
Methodology: 
The methodology involves the study and identification of the 
ideal geo-hydrological conditions prevailing in the area within 
the regional geological set up with respect to the major and 
minor geological structures based on the temporal satellite data, 
aerial photographs, Survey of India maps at 1:50,000 scale 
followed by ground truth surveys (Figure-2). The DIP technique 
with its different satellite data enhancement techniques 
facilitated in generating accurate thematic maps (Jenson, 1996). 
This was followed by ground truth surveys and geological 
mapping using brunton compass and GPS for delineating the 
structural and neo-tectonic features on the ground Philip and 
Shah (1999). Thereafter different geo-morphological classes 
were categorized some of these categories are developed 
through the process of palaeo- and neo-tectonic activity 
prevailing in the area Nossin (1971) based on the study of 
slopes, aspects, drainage and their morphometric analysis. The 
data interpretation work included the generation of the thematic 
maps on drainage, drainage density, watersheds and micro 
watersheds, lithology, lineaments, DEM, slope, aspect, land use, 
land cover and hydro-geomorphology. Finally assigning 
weightages to different hydrological units for data integration 
and analysis to address the ground water based users queries. 
Figure 1