, 1992. 
Vorking 
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444/92, 
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1 Kuk- 
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Remote 
e thank 
inks to 
IAPRS & SIS, Vol.34, Part 7, "Resource and Environmental Monitoring", Hyderabad, India, 2002 
REMOTE SENSING AND GIS APPROACH FOR GROUNDWATER RESOURCE 
ASSESSMENT : A CASE STUDY IN AND AROUND BHARATHIDASAN UNIVERSITY, 
TIRUCHIRAPPALLI AND 
PUDUKOTTAI DISTRICTS, TAMIL NADU 
K.SANKAR AND S. VENKATRAMAN 
Centre for Remote Sensing, Bharathidasan University 
Khajamalai Campus, Tirichirappalli-620 023, Tamil Nadu. 
E.mail: sanmena 2001 Q rediffmail.dot.com or sankar bdu.ernet.in 
KEYWORDS: Database, coast, sea, parameters, characterisation 
ABSTRACT : 
An attempt has been made to assess the groundwater resource assessment in and around Bharathidasan University Campus, 
Tiruchirappalli and Pudukottai Districts, Tamil Nadu, Which encompass a total geographical area of about 200 Sq.Km. The 
geographic coordinates are lying between north 10 35° to 10 40° 
latitudes and east 78 40’ to 78 50° longitudes falls under the 
Survey of India topographic sheets Nos.58J/10 &14. Basic geological, geomorphological and structural features were identified and 
mapped using IRS-1A LISS -II data of FCC (2,3 & 4 bands). In addition to that resistivity survey conducted at selected locations, 
the data were analysed various methods like curve matching and inverse slope methods to find out the thickness of the weathered 
and fractured zones. The geoelectrical parameters compare with geomorphological and lineaments maps. During the study, the role 
of factors like landuse/landcover, drainage and slope etc. was taken into account. ARC/INFO GIS package has been employed to 
assess the ground water potential. 
It was observed that geomorphic features like buried pediments medium along with lineaments and buried pediments deep are the 
indicative of good prospects of ground water, whereas shallow pediments zone moderate to poor groundwater prospects. 
1.0 INTRODUCTION 
The Remote Sensing data helps in fairly accurate 
geomorphological analysis and identification and delineation 
of land features. With adequate ground data, hydrological 
characteristic of geomorphological features can be identified. 
The common features controlling the ^ occurrence and 
movement of the ground water are previous rocks, fractured 
and weathered mantle, quartzites and dykes. Water entry 
into soil is essentially a surface processes in which porosity 
distribution of the soil material is the determining factor. 
Size, shape, nature, texture, structure and initial 
water content of soil controls infiltration rate. In coarse 
textured and well aggregated soil, infiltration rate is high. 
Similarly dry soil is conductive to 
rapid absorption of water whereas vegetation cover helps in 
infiltration process. In the earlier investigations Bedi and 
Bhan, 1978; Karanth and Seghu babu, 1978; Lattman and 
Parizek, 1964; Moore, 1978; Raju et al, 1985; 
Sathiyanarayana, 1991 and Palanivel et al 1996 have been 
applied for remote sensing techniques for geological and 
geomorphological and ground water prospecting. 
.In recent years the increasing use of satellite remote 
sensing has made it easier to define the spatial distribution of 
different ground water prospect classes on the basis of geomor 
phology and associated features (Sinha et al 1990). Remote 
Sensing is very useful tool in assessing the surface 
characteristics. But the extent of its usefulness depends on 
inputs field have been incorporated in categorizing various 
units. The remotely sensed data provides more reliable 
495 
boundary information of top, soil layer. The present study is 
an attempt to evaluate the geology, geomorphology, land 
use/land cover mapping and lineaments tectonics in and 
around Bharathidasan University Campus using Remote 
Sensing techniques. 
2.0 STUDY AREA 
The study area is in and around Bharathidasan University 
environs lies between 10° 35 and 10° 40’ N latitudes and 78° 
40 and 78? 50 E longitudes (Fig.1). The area falls under 
Survey of India topographic sheets Nos.58 J/10 &14. The 
study area extends North of Mathur village Tiruchirapalli city 
limits, Sooriyur village in the east Mondaiyur village in the 
west and Kudarayal village south and is spread over an area 
of about 182 Sq.Km in parts of the Trichirappalli and 
Pudhukottai Districts. This area is classified as a drought 
prone area by the Government of India and it is a semi-arid 
region according to Thornthwaite (1948) scheme of 
classification. 
3.0 PHYSIOGRAPHY AND HYDROLOGY 
The area is mainly plain but slightly undulating plain of 
hornblende biotite out crops are exposed towards the southeast, 
south and north. The elevation of the area ranges 120m-130m 
with reference MSL. Generally, relief expresses the subsurface 
inhomogeneties and sometimes it is possible to deduce much 
information relating to the lithology, stratigraphic succession 
and structural details of an area. Topography plays a major role 
in either encouraging or discouraging of subsurface runoff and 
subsurface infiltrations. The area is drained by few first order