Geoelectrical Sounding for Aquifer Characterization in and around Nandgao, Majan, Singrauli District, Madhya Pradesh, India

Ten geo-electrical soundings using Schlumberger electrode configuration were used to evaluate aquifer geo-electric characteristics in the parts of Nandgao, Majan, district Singrauli, M.P., India. SSR MP-1, a digital resistivity meter, was used for ten vertical electric sounding (VES) sounding with a minimum of 10 m to a maximum of 200 m current electrode (AB) spacing and locating the exact position of VES stations global positioning system (GPS) was used. The IPI2win and win resist software was used for data interpretation, which revealed 3 to 4 subsurface layers comprising the top alluvial soil, sub-soil to fine-grained sandstone, fine-grained sandstone to fractured or weathered sandstone and basement rocks. The resistivity of these strata ranged from 9.55-59.51 Wm, whereas the depth ranged between 0.42-63.91 m. Transverse resistance and longitudinal conductance calculated from the aquifer resistivity and thickness varied from 102.14-4357.44 Wm2 and 0.08-1.02 Siemens, respectively. Also, aquifer resistivity and porosity ranged from 26.95-93.68 Wm and 53-92%, respectively. The low value of transmissivity at VES location no. 2, 3, 5, 8 correspond to low borehole yields and high at VES location no. 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10 correspond to high borehole yields. The value of overburden protection capacity is low at VES location no. 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 and moderate at VES location 6, which means aquifers contaminants are more vulnerable in these areas. In contrast, at VES location 4, the aquifer protection capacity is high, indicating that the aquifer in these regions is well protected. However, a more significant portion of the study area has a lower value of protective capacities which reveals a more substantial part of the study area is susceptible to contaminants. In general, all of the places may be used to extract groundwater at moderate depths.