Hydrogeophysical Investigation of Groundwater in Cuddalore Coastal Area, Tamilnadu, India

An electrical resistivity survey was carried out in the premises of Cuddalore coastal area to understand groundwater conditions, such as depth, thickness and location of the aquifer and the type of water. Vertical electrical soundings by Schlumberger array were conducted out at 17 locations up to a depth of 100 m and secondary Self Potential (SP) and resistivity logging data collected from the private agency. The combination of the Vertical Electrical Soundings (VES) data and borehole data provided useful information on subsurface hydrogeological conditions of the area. The resistivity data confirm that the aquifer consists of an alluvial aquifer. These data were used to determine the lithology and the groundwater quality of the aquifer. Interpretation of the VES tests indicates the presence of an alluvial aquifer that mainly consists of sand and clay. The resistivity of the aquifer between 30 to 70 m showed the increasing value, which indicated the existence of fresh groundwater and low resistivity value showed in near coastal area.