Application of RS and GIS to Capture the Interplay of Geological Units and Watershed Development Activities: Implications on Change in Groundwater Potential with Reference to Anjeni Micro-watershed.

In the dryland areas watershed development is one of the major programs of the Government of India. Ever since its initiation (1981), large tracts of degraded lands are treated through this approach. Remote sensing (RS) is a tool that has been successfully applied to capture groundwater potentials in different regions and geological units. In this study RS & GIS tools are applied to correlate groundwater potentials with various geological controls and watershed development activities at Anjeni watershed, Udaipur district, Rajasthan, India. In the study reference periods taken are year 2013 (pre-project) and 2016 (post-project). A hydro-geomorphological approach integrating remote sensing applications, field investigations, geological and hydrological studies were undertaken to delineate and study the groundwater potential along with recharge dynamics before and after intervention situation. Thematic maps were prepared through linking the RS data with morphometric characteristics, topographic analysis, land use/cover assessment and groundwater conditions. Geographical Information System (GIS) was used to integrate all the contributing factors like lithology, geomorphology, LU/LC, lineaments, drainage, and slope with the help of weighted overlay analysis. Merging the characteristics of groundwater potential, hydro-geomorphology, geology, water harvesting structures, morphometric analysis, lineament density studies, and water balance elements provide an effective approach for the delineation of potential sites for groundwater. This integrated approach has successfully captured the changes that occurred in groundwater situation of the Anjeni watershed in form of poor to very high groundwater potential zones. It establishes the importance of application of RS-GIS in flagship development program of the watershed management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]