Groundwater investigations using electrical resistivity survey in Rechna Doab, Punjab, Pakistan

Ground water quality is deteriorating in certain areas of the Punjab owing to excessive pumping by tubewells and many other factors. Electrical Resistivity Survey (ERS) is a technique which is applied to investigate the potential of fresh ground water in an aquifer. Electrical Resistivity Survey was carried out at nine locations upto a depth of 250-300 m on the left side of Jhang Branch Canal (JBC) in the vicinity of Faisalabad city in Punjab Province of Pakistan. The equipment used for ERS was ABEM, Terrameter SAS 1000 IP, SP, and Resistivity System. The resistivity data collected has been interpreted by computer-aided techniques using computer software. The Quality of ground water from 10 to 60 meter depth is marginal to saline which improves afterwards gradually upto the depth of 150 m and afterwards deteriorates at locations R-1 and R-2. At site R-3 it contains top surface material upto 12 m and afterwards there is marginal to saline water. At sites R-4, R-6, and R-9 resistivity value is in the category of Low Resistivity Zone only a small layer contains fresh quality water and the remaining three sites also fall in Low Resistivity Zone.