Geospatial Modeling for Surface Water Resource

Exploration and Enhancement using Remote Sensing and

Geo Information Technology: A case study in Sirumalai

and its Environs in Tamil Nadu, India

Synopsis submitted to Madurai Kamaraj University

for the award of the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Remote Sensing and Geo -

Information Technology

By

K.CHANDRAMOHAN Reg.No: F9416

Under the guidance of

Dr.R.VIJAYA Assistant Professor

UGC – Human Resource Development Centre,

(Formerly Academic Staff College),

Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai- 625 021

&

Co-Guidance of

Dr.R.S.SUJA ROSE Assistant Professor and Head i/c

Department of Environmental Remote Sensing and Cartography (ERAC)

School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai- 625 021

UGC – Human Resource Development Centre

(Formerly Academic Staff College)

Madurai Kamaraj University

Madurai - 625 021.

February , 2018

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Geospatial Modeling for Surface Water Resource Exploration and

Enhancement using Remote Sensing and Geo Information Technology:

A case study in Sirumalai and its Environs in Tamil Nadu, India

SYNOPSIS

Introduction

The doctoral thesis entitled, “Geospatial Modeling for Surface Water

Resource Exploration and Enhancement using Remote Sensing and Geo

Information Technology: A case study in Sirumalai and its Environs in Tamil

Nadu, India” is proposed by Mr. K. Chandramohan, Full-time Research Scholar

of the UGC- Human Resource Development Centre (Formerly Academic Staff

College), Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai. In this study, he studied the

surface water availability and how to enhance the availability of water for

agriculture and domestic activities. The selected study area is Alanganallur block

which comprises the micro watersheds of Satti Aru of Sirumalai Hill. The study

area lies between 10°14'44" – 10°0'6" North latitudes and between 78°7'25” –

77°59'1” east longitudes. Within this study area the Sathiyar reservoir is located

between the Vaguthumalai and Sempattimalai hill valley. This study has been

carried out to identify the sites for check dam construction and artificial recharge

sites for developing the water resources. The Digital Elevation Model (DEM) has

been suggested using field data and technical approaches such as runoff

identification and PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) calculation. This model can

furnish the quantification or collection of surface water based on the rainfall in

particular micro watersheds areas in Sirumalai hill environs.

Background of the Study

The researcher has been basically a science graduate. Further he had

qualified his Master’s degree in Environmental Remote Sensing and Geo-

Information Technology. After completing his Master degree he worked as a

temporary geospatial engineer for six years in private and government sectors. He

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had awarded with RGNF (Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship) for doing his Ph.D.

As he realizes the difficulties of water scarcity which affects the farmers, he

wished to find out a permanent solution for water management for the study area

which can be applied to all the reservoirs of Tamil Nadu and India. In this way, he

can do some fruitful work as a gratitude to the society in which he lives. He has

applied his technical and working experiences to the surface water resources

exploration and enhancement using Remote Sensing and GIS techniques.

He published eight national/international papers related to this study.

Hence he focused his training, knowledge and skills in exploring the facts

involved in this study.

Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study are:

1. To identify the existing water resources in the study area

2. To delineate the Micro watershed boundaries of the study area of

Sathiyar sub basin which includes Sirumalai Hill

3. To extract the physiographic features of the study area in order to

recommend the places for check dams

4. To identify the artificial recharge sites to enhance the ground water

level

5. To create a Hydrological modeling of selected micro watersheds

6. To develop an application software for calculating the surface runoff

Organization of the Thesis

This Thesis work is systematized by the five chapters and all the chapters

have been started with overview of the chapter, number of sub divisions and end

with documentation. They are:

Chapter I: Introduction: Backdrop of the Study

In this doctoral thesis the First Chapter deals with the Conceptual

framework of the present study. Chapter - I explains the introduction about the

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study of surface water resource exploration and enhancement of the water holding

capacity of the micro watersheds of the study area, objectives of the study, survey

using questionnaires, data collection, techniques followed for modeling, need for

the study, scope of the study, limitations of the study and number of terminologies

used in this research study.

Chapter – II: Review of literature:

In Chapter-II many articles, journals, books, websites and other records

have been reviewed for literatures related to the present study. The review

of literature collections was based on the hydrological modeling, the parameters

need for the modeling study and water resource management strategies. 63 foreign

studies and 33 Indian studies have been reviewed for this study. The following

contents are focused to collect the review of literature: Water Resource

Management, Drainage, Climate and land utilization Pattern, Watershed analysis

and modeling, Hydrological Survey and Investigations, Water balance and

potential Evapotranspiration, Wetland system, Man, Rocks and water, River Basin

planning and Geographical Exploration, Agriculture , Environments of

Deposition, Surface Investigations of Ground water, Flood, slope and landscape,

Movement of water in the Hydrologic structures, Soil percolation, Forests And

Environment Soil Erosion and Floods, Geospatial Modeling of Data, Hydrology

measurements and Modeling, Remote Sensing of Digital data and Image

Processing, Water Recharge, Modern Hydrological Situation and Future,

Increasing Water Efficiency, Climate Change and Water Crisis, Flood and

Droughts, Earth’s surface, Landslide Hazard and climate variability, Eco-

management and Planning, Water resources problems and Necessity of Planning

and Role of WHO.

Chapter-III: Methodology

Chapter - III gives the detailed explanation of research methods used for

surface water quantification and the data collection. The primary data includes the

rainfall data which were measured by using the traditional method of Simon’s

gauge, soil sample data for identifying soil types and porosity analysis and the

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opinion data about the availability of water resource within the micro watershed

area gathered through the administration of questionnaires. Primary data were

collected during the field visits. The questionnaire which has 28 questions was

administered among the farmers for identifying the availability of surface water

sources and requirement of water preservation for future.

Secondary data were collected from the administrative sectors of the

Government. These include data like thirty years of rainfall data, toposheet

(Survey of India (SOI)), micro watershed boundaries, village boundaries (land and

soil survey of India), geology, geomorphology, hydromorphology, drainage,

contour, satellite imagery etc. Satellite Imagery and Remote Sensing and GIS

Techniques for classification of Land Use/Land Cover and thematic map

preparation and the study of complex phenomenon using rational method,

numerical values and geospatial approach were also carried out.

Techniques and Tools used:

The Remote Sensing (RS), Geographical Information System (GIS) and

PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) were used to prepare a study area profile maps and

modeling.

Remote Sensing (RS) is an excellent tool for identification of

environmental factors using satellite and aerial image technologies,

which cover the vast area of the earth’s surface based on the pixel

resolution. Remote sensing techniques were used to prepare a land use

maps and to identify artificial recharge site selection, etc. Land use data

were prepared by using ERDAS imagine 9.1v.

Geographic Information System (GIS) can be used to access, transfer,

transform, overlay, process and display the data using GIS software

applications. The main software used for preparing the thematic maps

was ArcGIS 9.3.1v.

Hypertext Processor (PHP) modeling has been done through the Java

script developing. The base concept of the modeling derived by the

hydrological rational model method includes number of parameters.

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Computational Method used:

Field observations were made to collect the primary data collection like

soil sample collection for soil permeability analysis and site identification for

storm water runoff collection (artificial recharge site selection and check dam

construction).

The runoff calculation had been done by the hydrological rational method.

This calculation necessitates the runoff flow rate carried only during the rainy

time with rain gauge and bucket method and Soil Conservation Service – Curve

Number

(SCS-CN).

The formula of Rational value is Q = c * i * A

Where:

Q is the maximum runoff rate (acre-inches per hour or cubic feet per second (cfs))

c is the runoff coefficient representing runoff ratio to rainfall (unitless)

i is the intensity of average rainfall for time duration is equal to the Tc (in/hr)

A is drainage area (acres)

Runoff rate is varied by the soil surface moisture conditions, then the

potential abstraction derived as:

S = ( 1000 / CN ) - 10

RO = [( P – 0.2 S ) 2] / ( P + 0.8 S )

Where:

S: potential abstraction (related with soil moisture condition)

CNi: soil Curve Number based on the soil moisture conditions

RO: Actual runoff (excess rainfall) in inches

P: Depth of Precipitation (inch).

Formula for computation of Travel Time for the channel section is:

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L

TT = ----------

3600 V

Where the equation expresses:

Tt = travel time (hr)

V = Average velocity (ft/s)

L = flow length (ft) and 3600 = seconds to hours conversion factors.

These applications are essential in the surface water exploration of

quantification and enhancing the water resources, reservoir eco community

(ground water level, agricultural growth, and drinking water), environment,

geospatial, risk analysis etc. Finally computer based Algorithm was developed for

simplifying the calculation of surface water quantification. The PHP is designed

by using this algorithm and the proposed amount of surface water runoff was

calculated. In future the researcher has a plan to get Patent right and will upload

this PHP web model on the Internet for global availability for the use of

researchers, stakeholders and others.

Chapter IV: Result and Discussion

Chapter IV deals with the fulfillment of the main objectives of the study

which are related to the identification of the water resources availability of the

study area for agricultural and domestic activities by administering questionnaires

to the farmers. Data related to the landscape arrangement, deforestation and

agricultural activities were collected through ground truth verification (GTV).

Identification of the physiography of the study area and the extraction of the

drainage pattern within the micro watershed boundary were also carried out. The

physiographic features of landscape (agricultural, settlement, reservoir etc)

arrangement, contour, Slope, DEM (Digital Elevation Model), Drainage pattern,

hydromorphology, Geomorphology, Hydrogeology, Geology are extracted from

the existing sources of field data and government recognized data. The

agricultural activities of growing crops for all the seasons and the area covered

were also identified.

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Finally the algorithm for runoff water quantification was developed based

on the formulae, equations and physiographic conditions. The Web page

developed using PHP was named as “ CMV (Chandramohan and Dr.Vijaya)”

research blog. This model can be used to calculate the surface water quantity and

this calculation needs input values of total area, hydrological curve number, mean

precipitation, rainfall and specific micro watershed area. The traveling time (Time

of Concentration) of water reach in to the reservoir was also calculated by the

input of values like average velocity and flow length.

Rational Method:

Hydrological Rational Value (Q) = c * i * A

Q = c * i * A

= 0.15 X 0.13 inch X 6555 acre

= 127.8225 inch acre

(127.8225 inch acre X 376.84 acre / hr) / 60

Q = 802.81 GPM (Gallon Per Minute)

As per the calculation of the hydrological rational method, the total amount

of runoff water is 802.81 GPM for the three micro watersheds which cover an area

of 6555 acres. If the rainfall increases, then the amount of surface runoff will also

increase. It can be measured by the general Bucket method.

Runoff Rate:

Volume of Bucket (V)

Volumetric Flow rate (Q) = -------------------------------- eq (3.2)

Average Time (t)

Based on the equation 3.2

Micro watershed 1 (M1):

20+15.6+19.5+20.4+14.36+16.75+18.31+15.42+12.9+18.65

t = --------------------------------------------------------------------------

10 trials

t = 17 seconds

V = 6 litter (or)1.5 gallons then Q = 1.5 gallons /

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17seconds

Q = 5.29 gallons per minute

Micro watershed 2 (M2):

15.32+13.13+17.2+12.4+13.63+11.85+10.71+12.35+10.76+9.22

t = -------------- -----------------------------------------------------------

10 trials

t = 13 seconds

V = 8 litter (or) 2.11 gallons, then Q = 2.11 gallons / 13seconds

Q = 9.73 gallons per minute

Micro watershed 3 (M3):

25.7+23.4+26+24.5+28+20+21+23.4+21.6+27

t = ------------------ ---------------------------------------

10 trials

t = 24 seconds

V = 5 litter (or)1.3 gallons then Q = 1.3 gallons / 24

seconds

Q = 3.25 gallons per minute

The flow rate is 0.37 gallons/second or Q = 0.37 gal/sec * 60 sec/min = 22.2

gallons/minute.

Discharge velocity:

Discharge velocity is derived as

Q = A * v eq (3.3)

Area (a) = width (b) * depth (y)

Discharge (D) = Area * Flow Velocity (V)

(The flow velocity is divided by time. Volumetric flow rate of rainfall is 6 litre/17

sec. or 0.07 m)

Based on the equation 3.3.

Area = 1.6 m * 0.3 m A is 0.48 m2

Discharge = 0.48m2 * 0.35 litre/sec D = 5.16 ft

2 * 0.23 ft/sec

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= 1.17 ft3/sec or 8.7 gal/sec

= 522 GPM.

Time of concentration (Tc)Method:

Formula for computation of Travel Time for the channel section is:

L

TT = ----------

3600 V

1053.00 ft

Tt1 = ----------------------- then Tt1 = 0.49 hours

3600 (0.5961 ft/sec)

601.00 ft

Tt2 = ----------------------- then Tt2 = 0.25 hours

3600 (0.6562 ft/sec)

788.00 ft

Tt3 = ----------------------- then Tt3 = 0.39 hours

3600 (0.5609 ft/sec)

Tc = 0.49 + 0.25 + 0.39 - then the Tc of the micro watersheds of the study area is:

Tc = 1.13 hours (Tc for the study area which covers 6555 acres).

Chapter-V: Summary and Conclusion

Chapter V deals with the summary and conclusion of the research work.

They portrayed mainly the uses of the field study, modeling and research work for

water resource exploration for the benefit of the society. This chapter also

expresses the future recommendation for the steady state flow method which can

be used to calculate the amount of aquifer leakage.

Future Recommendations

In future, the steady state flow method can be used to calculate an amount

of aquifer leakage. Steady-state flow refers to the condition where the water

properties at any single point in the system do not change over time. Two methods

namely De Glee’s method and Hantush-Jacob’s method which use steady-state

drawdown data, allow the characteristics of the aquifer and the aquitard (which is

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a bed of low permeability along an aquifer, and aquiclude (or aquifuge), which is

a solid, impermeable area underlying or overlying an aquifer) to be determined.

Erosion and deposition study is important in future because the siltation will make

change or reduce the water holding capacity of the reservoir and other areas.

Agasthiyar hill area (10°13'3.97"N 77°58'34.61"E in 1290 MSL) is highly

suitable for the aquifer leakage collection site. The Hydrologic computation study

is important to know how much water one can tap from a given water source over

the course of a season or a year, when:

- Developing a new irrigation scheme,

- Extending an existing scheme,

- Changing the cropping season,

- Adding a second or third irrigation season,

- Switching from a low water demand crop to a crop such as rice with high water

requirements.

-Methods of aquifer recharge,

-Balancing recharge and discharge,

-Water balance and energy balance model,

-Reservoir regulation and irrigation scheme is introduced.

Implementation Plan

This study will be implemented for the development and management of

water resources in the following steps:

The first step is to create a base map for a particular study area specifically

highly flood prone area, extract the land use categories, physiographic

features like drainage, slope, soil, geology, geomorphology, hydrogeology

and etc,.

Secondly the field study verification of any watershed area can be done by

collecting the soil samples, measuring the surface flow rate, stream area

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velocity, and applying all those methods of numerical models, tools and

techniques as illustrated in this study.

Third step is to fix the environmental condition monitoring sensor like

Remote Reality Field Server Agent System- (RRS) to particular sites. It can

be assigned to get the field condition data for every minute or hour.

Fourth step to establish new data receiving laboratory or technique or

mobile application.

If this research implemented with these techniques and modeling then the

fruitful outcome of automated sensor based on real time surface flow estimation

and monitoring system can be drawn using the numerical modeling and

engineering techniques. Absolutely this technique will create a Flood Early

Warning System (FEWS) and the main sequel of FEWS is the identification of the

flood events before occurrence of the flood. This FEWS can be created with very

low cost and can be applied globally.

Scope of the Study

The main aim of this research study is to assist the water resource

management, to foster forest and agricultural development, to make a dynamic

relationship between the developmental activities and surface water availability.

This study will help for the improvement of agriculture with effective integrated

water resources management of the micro-watersheds of Sattiaru river sub-basin

area. Collection of non spatial data of meteorology and land use is challenging,

expensive and time-consuming for a large area, whereas large area coverage of

satellite data is freely available through the internet (Jain et al, 2009).1 Recently,

some policies and issues related to water resource development and conservation

are evolved by Central and State Government of India. Geospatial studies relating

to terrain, drainage pattern, water bodies and other earth features associated with

one another will help to build a systematic modeling for water resource

sustainability management and conservation (Rao, 2000).2 This study also

evaluates the potential of the study area land and surface water resources to

support agricultural and other developmental activities and to increase the output

and productivity.

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This surface water quantification modeling study can be applied to other

watersheds in Tamil Nadu and India by identifying their actual rainfall, slope, soil

type, soil porosity, soil curve number, soil group, geology, geomorphology and

land use features. These parameters are needed to be applied for modeling study,

and the result will show their surface water quantity within the particular micro

watershed area.

Limitation of the Study

Even though, many approaches are available for water exploration, it is

very difficult to solve water scarcity problem. Mismanagement of water resources,

water pollution due to over discharge of effluents, solid wastes and garbage in

water resources like River Vaigai, growth of water plants like Water hyacinth,

improper monitoring of the government water holding systems, irregular

connectivity with all water resources are the major limitations and the water

demand is always persisting in Madurai District. During the monsoon, the surplus

water is wastefully oozing out of the water bodies which are not properly

monitored and silted heavily. The excess water is discharged into streets and lands

and turned unusable. Geospatial model of surface water exploration is dealing

with a broad spectrum of the particular solution to water related problems in the

environmental development and management. Groundwater level variations

profoundly influenced in a dry season and also fall between 5-10 m depth. The

tube wells fail to lift adequate water (Dey et al., 2010 and Tarikul Islam, 2014).3 &

4 These are the main limitations of the study.

Reference

1. Jain,S.K., Keshri, R., Goswami, A., Sarkar, A., & Chaudhry, A. (2009).

Identification of drought-vulnerable areas using NOAA AVHRR data.

International Journal of Remote Sensing. . Tailor and Francis, 30(5), 2653–

2668.

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2. Rao, D.P. (2000). Role of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information

System In Sustainable Development. International Archives of

Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 33(7), 25-34.

3. Dey, N.C., & Ali Arm, M. (2010). Changes in the use of safe water and water

safety measures in WASH intervention areas of Bangladesh. A midline

assessment. BRAC-RED Working Paper. 27.

4. Tarikul Islam.Md. M., Monowar Hossai., & Afzal Hossain, A.F.M. (2014).

Integrated Water Resources Management: A Case Study for Barind Area,

Bangladesh. IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (IOSR-

JMCE). 5. 01-08.