Quality of ground water in the Pollachi Taluk
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Author:U. S. SREE RAMULU and N. M. THYAGARAJAN
p-ISSN:0024-9602, e-ISSN:2582-5321, Vol:48, Issue:nov-nov
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29321/MAJ.10.A04030
Abstract
About 87,000 acres of Pollachi taluk of the Coimbatore
district is to be brought under canal irrigation under the proposed
Parambikulam-Upper Aliyar Project. This area is to be benefited
partly by the Upper Canal, Sethumadai canal and Aliyar feeder canal
and partly by the Pollachi canal. This area now is either well
irrigated or dry depending upon the availability of water in the wells.
The water table is fairly high in this area and the cropping pattern
is changed to suit the varied nature of the well waters. The main
crops for which the water is utilised at present are groundnut,
chillies, brinjal, cotton and coconut. In the area, the cropping
pattern is likely to be changed by the coming in of the irrigation
water in the canals fed by the Parambikulam dam due to the
availability of abundant water and also due to the possibility of the
quality of water being changed due to the coming in of the water
from the Parambikulam area. Since in most of the areas, there is
only a limited choice of irrigation water now, the cultivators at
present have to make the best use of the available water whatever
may be the quality of the same. As the utilisation of the low quality
waters for irrigation will result in the deterioration of the land, it is
imperative on the part of the cultivators to understand the nature of
the available water and modify the cropping pattern. In addition to
this the quality of water in wells and streams changes appreciably
with the season of the year and also with the distance down from the
streams or canals. In addition to this the water table of the ground
waters and soils will also be influenced by the fluctuations in the canal
water level and also by the quality of water flowing in the canals. As
such it is a necessity on the part of soil scientists now, in view of the
proposed Parambikulam Aliyar project whose canals pass through this
district, to prevent any hazard to the land due to the coming in of the
irrigation facilities in this project area. For the above purpose it
is necessary to study the quality of the ground water prior to the
coming in of the water in the canals and also after the canals have
been commissioned. With the above purpose in view, the present
study of the quality of the ground water was taken up.
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