Mapping of Salt-affected and Waterlogged Areas Associated with Shallow Saline Groundwater in Hisar District using Geospatial Techniques

Abstract

Aims: The present study aimed to identify the extent of waterlogged and saline areas and to propose suitable management strategies in Hisar district, Haryana, India. Place and Duration of Study: Field data on water table depth (WTD) and groundwater samples from the pre- and post-monsoon seasons of 2017 were used to identify subsurface waterlogging and groundwater salinity conditions in the study area. The accuracy assessment was conducted at the Deendayal Upadhyay Centre of Excellence for Organic Farming (DDUCE-OF), Hisar, which is located within the study area. Methodology: Various thematic maps were prepared using field observations and satellite data. Results: The WTD results revealed that approximately 0.58% of the area was fully waterlogged during the pre-monsoon season, and this proportion increased to 1.17% during the post-monsoon season. At the DDUCE-OF site, severe waterlogging and salinity were indicated by a shallow water table (1.03–2.1 m), poor groundwater quality (1.22–7.38 dS/m), and high soil salinity (0.63–24.29 dS/m). Depth-wise analysis indicated high salinity levels (>4 dS m⁻¹) in the topsoil layer (0–15 cm), which decreased with increasing depth. Management practices, including a subsurface drainage system, improved irrigation management, salt-tolerant crops, and lining of the water-conveyance system and water-storage tanks, were suggested to control waterlogging and soil salinity at the study site. Conclusion: The present study indicates that geospatial techniques can effectively represent the spatial distribution of surface waterlogging at the selected site when combined with field validation. Such analysis may support effective planning and decision-making for implementing suitable measures to manage waterlogged and saline areas.