Groundwater Prospecting and Management

The book provides an elaborate treatment of groundwater prospecting and management covering remote sensing, geological-geophysical cum hydrogeological studies, exploration (geological and geophysical), development (well logging techniques, pump test, its analysis and applications in well design), contamination (pollution of groundwater) and regulatory legislations regarding groundwater utilization under one cover. The book presents an elucidation of fundamental and theoretical background of each technique supported by necessary illustrative examples and exclusive case studies. It is a text-cum-reference book not only for students, research scholars and practicing earth scientists but also for practicing civil and agricultural engineers working in the application of groundwater resources, engaged in its exploration, development, contamination, legislation and management. The general readers can also refer the book for understanding the groundwater domain for adequate knowledge, as groundwater resources are essential life support commodity which is replenishable but not inexhaustible.

Prof. H. P. Patra, graduated with Honours and Distinction in Physics from Bihar University in 1958, completed Master of Technology degree in Exploration Geophysics in 1961 and Ph.D. degree in Geophysics from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur in the year 1968. He had been directly engaged in teaching, research and field surveys in electrical and electromagnetic methods of prospecting applied to groundwater from 1961 - 1997. He is the author of several international books from Elsevier, Amsterdam and Balkema, Amsterdam. These are (i) Direct Current Geo-electric Sounding: Principles and Interpretation, 1968 (ii) Geo-electric Sounding-2: Time-varying Geo-electric sounding, 1980 and (iii) Schlumberger Geo-electric Sounding in Ground Water: Principles, Interpretation and Application, 1999. Dr. Patra retired as Professor of Geophysics and as Head of the Department of Geology & Geophysics, IIT, Kharagpur in June 1997. 

Dr. Shyamal Kumar Adhikari completed Masters in exploration Geophysics from IIT Kharagpur during 1985 and Ph.D. in 2001 from Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, India.  He is serving Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) as Geophysicist for more than 28 years having colossal experience in the field of surface and borehole geophysical data acquisition, processing and interpretation by using latest state-of-art equipment and software in the field of groundwater geophysics in hard rock terrain, alluvium plain, costal area. Apart from field investigation, Dr. Adhikari has published several scientific papers in national journals, volumes and presented in different workshops on various topics. He has contributed innumerable number of scientific reports on groundwater exploration in different terrains throughout his career.

Subrata Kunar graduated with Honours and distinction in Geology from Ranchi University in 1981, completed Masters of Science in exploration Geophysics from IIT Kharagpur during 1985, serving RITES as Geophysicist for 30 years at different capacity including three years of service as Member in Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). Mr. Kunar is life member of various societies and association like Association of Exploration Geophysics, Indian Society of Rock Mechanics and Tunnelling Technology, Indian Society of Engineering Geology, International Association of Hydrogeologist. He has vast experience in the field of Geophysical data acquisition, processing and interpretation with latest state-of-art equipment and software in the field of groundwater geophysics in hard rock terrain, alluvium plain, costal aquifer system and application of geophysical techniques in engineering application. Mr. Kunar has contributed technical reports and presented scientific papers in national & international seminars.