IOSR Journal of Applied Geology and Geophysics (IOSR-JAGG) e-ISSN: 2321–0990, p-ISSN: 2321–0982.Volume 9, Issue 2 Ser. I (Mar. – Apr. 2021), PP 19-28 www.iosrjournals.org Integrated watershed studies of Naigaon Odha (sub tributary) of Karha River, Purandhar taluka, Pune –A case study. 1Sandeep A. Meshram, 2Sumedh R. Warghat, 1 Associate Professor, 2Visiting Faculty, 1Geology Laboratory, College of Engineering Pune (COEP), Pune, India. 2Department of Geology, Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati, India. Abstract- Water is a key driver of economic and social development and is one of the fundamental elements in sustaining the integrity of the natural environment. It is the major renewable resource amongst the various natural resources. Water being an vital constituent for all life supporting processes, its assessment, conservation, development and management is of great concern for all those who manage, facilitate and utilize, issues related to water resources development and management .These studies should not be carried out in isolation but should be coupled and inter-related with other human activities. The water shed programmes would benefit immensely from systematic hydro geological studies as groundwater resources form an important aspect in most watershed development programmes (Kulkarni, 1998). Effective watershed management can prevent community water shortages, poor water quality, flooding and erosion. The expense of undertaking watershed management is far less than the cost of future remediation. In the present study morphometric analysis have been carried with reference to their order and arrangement in watershed. The linear, aerial and relief aspects were studied in detail for interpreting the systematic description of drainage Morphometry and results are presented in this paper. The prime objective of this study is to understand the heterogeneity in Deccan Basalts rocks in hydrogeological investigation of such aquifers. Key words: watershed, Morphometry, social changes; sustainability. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 26-02-2021 Date of Acceptance: 11-03-2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Introduction Water exists within a certain physical framework of a watershed. This framework is largely controlled by the local geological conditions. Hence, the planning of a watershed development programme can be rendered more effective if the physical system taking the impact of the measures is correctly understood. Large areas of India are covered by “hard rock’s” that are mostly of igneous and metamorphic origin. Many arid and semi-arid regions of India obtain water supplies from groundwater stored in these rocks. This is especially true for large rural tracts that obtain water for agriculture and domestic supplies entirely from the groundwater stored in these rocks. It is a well-known fact that groundwater forms a very crucial source of water supply in the national water resources scenario. And yet, it continues to remain a resource that is grossly misused! Many watershed projects in the country still suffer from insufficient inputs (especially in the form of systematic hydrogeology to address the problem(s) of ground water from within the watersheds, despite the fact that this resource is precisely the focus of most watershed activities. The objective of a watershed development programme is to conserve water within the ‘hydrological’ unit, both as surface water and groundwater. The groundwater system in this study area consists of a shallow unconfined system and some deeper aquifers formed through a complex relationship between the heterogeneous geological units in the subsurface. Vesicular amygdaloidal basalt units on the surface help mobilize recharge to the groundwater system. Although there is hardly any groundwater abstraction from the system, base flow discharges are nearly perennial and would tend to constitute a large component of the water balance, groundwater storage in the lower compact basalt units being relatively limited. LOCATION OF THE STUDY AREA The study area is the common synonym for the Karha river basin. The largest village in the river basin is Romanwadi. This River Basin is included within the Survey of India Toposheet number 47 J/7 and 47 J/3. DOI: 10.9790/0990-0902011928 www.iosrjournals.org 19 | Page Integrated watershed studies of Naigaon Odha (sub tributary) of Karha River.. GEOLOGY OF THE STUDY AREA- The Naigaon Odha in Pune district of Maharashtra state is located on the Deccan basalt setting and offers a unique opportunity to study groundwater in its various dynamics: physical, social, institutional and economic. Understanding these dynamics is the key to describing how the livelihood aspects in typical Deccan basalt settings are linked to groundwater resources, and consequently to recharge, both natural and artificial. The simple flows equate to classic flood basalts formed by quite effusive eruption of very large quantities of low viscosity lava from open fissures. The compound flows are either the product of explosive activity from more viscous lavas or can be formed at the distal portion of simple flows where there is an increased viscosity from cooling and de-gassing. The interconnectivity between units and the fracture openings within each unit control the storage and transmission of groundwater in these basalts. Compact basalts have very little storage and transmission capability, except when jointed or fractured. Even then, the permeability of the fractured portion of compact basalts is quite limited as compared to that of weathered vesicular-amygdaloidal basalts / compound basalts. Hence, due to the horizontal sheet jointing (related to the degree of weathering) and greater lateral interconnectivity, the vesicular-amygdaloidal portions of such units usually form good locales for storage and transmission of groundwater. II. Material And Methodology Reconnaissance survey was carried out using Survey of India Topographic sheets (mainly 47 J/7 and part Of 47 J/3), on the scale of 1: 50000. Study of Geological Survey of India (2001) District Resource Map for Pune district. Detailed Geological field surveys to determine the nature and disposition of basalt lavas in the basin and to map these units on a map. In addition, these surveys also included determining the type of lineaments identified from the study of remote sensing data through detailed ground survey undertaken by us. A detailed inventory of water features including drainage lines, wells and boreholes, habitations, land- use features and watershed development measures including recharge structures. Regional mapping (on river basin and watershed scales) was undertaken. Various recharge structures such as wells and ponds were built in the village. The wells were approximately 30 to 50 feet deep and provided sources for consumption and washing purposes. III. Result And Discussions Morphometric Analysis The drainage pattern in the Naigaon Odha watershed is mostly dendritic to sub-dendritic. Many streams originate in the northern basaltic ridges and drain south into the Khara River. The morphometric analysis of study area have been studied under linear, aerial and relief aspects. Linear Aspects Stream order (u),Stream Number (Nu),Bifurcation Ratio (Rb),Stream Length (Lu),Mean Stream Length (Lsm),Stream Length Ratio (Lsr)and Main Channel Length (Cl). Aerial Aspects Basin Area (A),Basin Length (Lb),Basin Perimeter (P),Drainge Texture(Dt),Texture Ratio(T) Stream Frequency(Fs),Elongation Ratio (Re),Form Factor(Rf),Length of Overland Flow(Lg) And Constant Channel Maintenance (C) Relief Aspects Basin Relief (Bh),Height of Basin mouth(Z),Max. Height of Basin (Z),Relief Ratio(Rh), Relative Relief (Rhp),Ruggedness (Rn),DEM and Slope map. GEOMORPHOLOGICAL STUDIES The geomorphology studied for the Purandhar taluka have been undertaken and a geomorphic map has been prepared using the available satellite imagery obtained from the lSRO site. Geomorphologically, the satellite imagery has been classified into four geomorphic units based on visual interpretation and by tonal differences. These include denudational hill, highly dissected plateau, moderately dissected plateau and upper plateau. These geomorphic units and its areal extent in the Purandhar taluka are displayed in Table 1. Table 1: Distribution of Geomorphic unit and its percentage. Geomorphology Units Area Sq.Km PERCENTAGE Plateau Top 1.20 2.21 HDP-A, With exposed rock, negligible soil cover 1.28 2.36 HDP-B, With thin soil cover and weathering 45.46 83.72 DOI: 10.9790/0990-0902011928 www.iosrjournals.org 20 | Page Integrated watershed studies of Naigaon Odha (sub tributary) of Karha River.. MDP-A, With exposed rock and thin soil cover 3.42 6.29 MDP-B, With moderate soil cover 1.44 2.65 Settlement 0.55 1.01 Water body 0.96 1.76 Total 54.30 100.00 The Geomorphologic map has been prepared for study area and is enclosed as figure XXX. The Plateau top account for 1.20 sq.km and contribute 2.21% of the total area. Highly dissected plateau take up 46.74 sq.km of the area and contribute to 86.08% of the area. On the other hand, moderately dissected plateau takes up a larger area up to 4.86 sq.km and accounts for 8.94 % of the total area. The plateau top is comparatively flat areas of great extent and elevation and extensive land region considerably elevated