borewell survey report - andaman

Andaman Water Project Emmanuel Hospital Association

eha-health.org

Bore Well Survey Report July 2008 - February 2009

by

Anand Kumar

Dan Shetler &

Abraham Dennyson K

Andaman Water Project

Table of Contents Acknowledgement--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1

Background----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

Objectives------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4

Methodology---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5

Discussions------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7

1. Mean Sea Level (MSL) Vs Water Table------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7

2. Surface Elevation Vs Water Table-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10

3. Dry Well Vs Depth-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12

4. Coastline Vs Water Table------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13

5. Soil Profile & Bore Well------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15

6. 2004 Tsunami & Water Table------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17

Conclusion------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18

Annexure

I. Survey Form------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19

II. Soil Profiles of Wells Done by EHA-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20

a. Bore Wells--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21

b. Open Dug Wells--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22

III Soil Profiles of Wells – Data Collected------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 24

a. Dry wells----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25

b. Anarkali & Kodyaghat------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26

c. Haddo--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 27

d. Aberdeen Bazar---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 28

e. Brookshabad & Beodnabad-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 29

f. Delanipur----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 30

g. Kamaraj Nagar------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 31

h. Lilipur-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 32

i. Minnie Bay-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 32

j. Pongyjang---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 34

k. Sanjeevan Colony & Sippighat -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 35

l. Wandoor ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 36

m. Mayabunder------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 37

n. Diglipur------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 38

o.

Andaman Water Project 1

Acknowledgement

Andaman Water Project was first to undertake Bore Well survey in South, Middle and North Andaman. We are

thankful to Mr. Jamal of Guru Bore wells for providing information on Bore Wells in different parts of the Islands. He

was willing to travel with our research team to the bore well sites and provide the needed information. We thank Mr.

Peter Shetler from US for helping us procure and put to use the ArcGIS Software which was used in the research

analysis in the study. We thank Mr. Daniel Shetler who was coordinating the data collection and analysis along with

Mr. Anand Kumar. It is because of their hard work it has been possible to undertake such a work in a very short

duration. We also want to thank the bore well users who came forward to share the information with us. Last but not

the least we thank the Staff Team and Volunteers for their cooperation without which this research would have been

impossible.

Mr. Dennyson Abraham

Project Manager.


Background

In June 2007 when Andaman Water Project was setup there was no data or research document it could get hold of

with regards to groundwater status. There were range of confusing information going around from ‘no bore well

existed’ to ‘no bore wells allowed’ in the Island. Some of the reasons attributed to were the tectonic activities and

government land regulation in Andaman. Central Ground Water Board also did not have data of ground water

resources of Andaman in its website.

It was with this background Andaman Water Project decided to map and study the bore well that existed in the Island.

The data from this study will be published and made available for general public and government officials so that they

are little better equipped when dealing with groundwater status in their area. Drilling bore wells in the Andaman

Islands is problematic for a number of reasons and many attempted borewells fail. The hope is that this research will

help alleviate some of these problems.


Objectives

In 2008 the Andaman Water Project of Emmanuel Hospital Association initiated a study on the existing bore wells.

This effort was to answer some important questions concerning the groundwater of the Andaman Islands. In order to

accomplish this, an extensive survey of the bore wells was conducted. Through the survey information like bore well

depth, groundwater table, soil profile, quality and approximate discharge of water along with construction and owner

details were collected. Bore wells that were unsuccessful, dry or brackish water were also included in the survey.

A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used in the analysis of the data. A GIS is a very powerful tool for

visualization and analysis in resource management. In a GIS, layers of information are used to create a digital map.

These data can include satellite imagery, elevation data, databases, roads, rivers, buildings, city, populations, etc

anything that has a geographic reference. The more information that is added to a GIS the more useful it becomes.

This borewell data alone on a GIS might be elemental but in combination with other layers of data GIS full potential

can be reached. Andaman Water Project will make available this GIS data, satellite imagery, and maps created other

organizations working with GIS on the Andaman Islands on request. Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI)

that is also putting together a GIS with watershed, land use, and population data under the direction of Dr. S. K.

Ambast, Head Natural Resource Management. In corporation of these two data will result in a powerful tool than any

on their own.


Methodology

There are only two borewell drilling companies in the Island. Help was sought from both these companies to locate

and get data of the bore wells that existed or done by them. Mr. Jamal, Managing Partner & Technician of Guru Bore

wells came forward to help with the survey. The project team along with him visited different bore well sites met the

land owner and collected the needed information regarding the bore well.

A Garmin GPS was used to obtain the coordinates and thus locate the bore well on the earth coordinate. The survey

data was then maintained on a spreadsheet for analysis.

The software ArcGIS® was used to combine the survey data with the GPS locations. SRTM1 data was used to find the

altitudes of the borewells and thus the absolute depths of the bore wells, groundwater tables and soil layers. ArcGIS

was also used to find the distance of the wells from the ocean. Google Earth was used to visualize the borewell

distribution and the data was then analysed using ArcGIS and Excel. The datasheet Performa of the survey form is

attached for reference (annexure 1)

1 SRTM is elevation data gathered by radar from the Space Shuttle or satellites.


Discussions

Mean Sea Level (MSL) Vs Water Table

The elevation of surface and groundwater table has a strong correlation between them [Graph 1]. The groundwater

table roughly follows the surface of the earth at about 36 feet below the surface.

Among the 182 freshwater bore wells, with respect to Groundwater Table (See Graph 1)

1. 10% of the instances groundwater table is found below MSL, rest 89% of times groundwater table

was found above MSL

2. Only 1% of the instance groundwater table was found 50 feet below MSL.

With respect to Yield or depleting aquifers (see Graph 2):

3. An alarming 64% of cases groundwater was extracted from below MSL

4. 10% bore wells deliver water from aquifers below 100 feet MSL

5. 35% bore wells deliver water from aquifers below 50 feet MSL.


Elevations of Freshwater Borewells [Graph 1]

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220

Wells

Ele

vati

on

(ft

MS

L)

Surface Elevation

Water Table

Well Depth

Mean Sea Level

Dry Bore Well

Dry Bore Well Depth

Water Table Trendline


Extraction Below MSL (Graph 2)

-250

-150

-50

50

150

250

0 50 100 150 200

Wells

MS

L (Feet)

Surface Elevation Well Bottom


Surface Elevation vs. Water Table Groundwater Table

(feet)

Bore wells

(Numbers)

% of Freshwater

Wells (182 Nos)

Overall %

(219 Nos)

Less than 40’ 120 66% 55%

Less than 60’ 162 89% 74%

Less than 100’ 180 99% 82%

More than 100’ 2 1% 1%

Dry Bore Wells 37 - 17%

Studying the groundwater table with respect to the surface elevation reveals an interesting trend [Graph 3].

1. The groundwater table being reached most often at 35’ below the surface.

2. At a depth of less than 40 feet, which is the depth that ‘hand driven bores’ are capable of

there is fairly good chances of reaching water table (55%).

3. Only 1% instance table was found past 100 feet beneath the surface.


Water Table (5' intervals) [Graph 3]

10

25

14

17

78

11

26

12

3

1

26

8

32

10

2 2

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 01

0 0 01

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

300

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

10

0

11

0

12

0

13

0

14

0

15

0

16

0

17

0

18

0

19

0

20

0

21

0

22

0

23

0

Water Table Depth (ft Below Surface)

Nu

mb

er

of

We

lls


Dry Well Vs Depth

1. 76% of the dry wells have been drilled past the MSL, 13% of the overall wells (Graph 3).

2. 78% of the dry wells are within 1000m of the coastline (see graph 5)

Dry Well Elevation & Depth (Graph 4)

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Wells

Feet above s

ea level

Surface Elevation

Dry Well bottom


Coastline Vs Water Table

The correlation between the distance from coastline and groundwater table [Graph 5], shows that proximity to the

ocean cannot be used as an indicator for groundwater table. However majority of the yielding wells are within 1000m

of the coastline. Not many bore wells were found within 100-meters of the coastline. It should also be noted that no

bore wells in this dataset were found to produce saline water, so a correlation between the proximity to the coast and

striking a saline aquifer could not be made. From Graph 5 it can be seen that most of the bore wells surveyed were

within 2 km of the coast. This is because urban population in Andaman live near the coast. Also at the widest point

the Andaman are only about 30 km across so one cannot get more then 15 km from the coast.

1. 62% of the total bore well are within 1000m (1Km) of the coastline.

2. 78% of the dry bore wells (13% overall) lie within 1000 of the coastline


Freshwater Table Vs. Coastline [Graph 5]

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000

Distance from Ocean (m)

Fe

et

MS

L

Water Table

Mean Sea Level

Dry Well Bottom


Soil Profile & Bore wells

The data that is available indicates the tops soil surface runs up to an average depth of 20 feet (see graph 6). Top soil

is mostly light yellow colour and it is good mixture of clay, silt and sand. The subsurface is mostly marine sedimentary

deposit which grey or black in colour. The compressed sedimentary deposit in many cases forms aquiclude or

aquitards which retards the seepage of water beneath.

1. 90% of dry wells have such soil formation; compressed sedimentary deposits resulting in soft

0r hard slate

2. Rocky sub soil formation tend to be more successful bore wells in comparisonf

The project experience has been that the bore wells drilled in North and Middle Andaman has not been very successful

in comparison to bore wells in South Andaman. Soil profile of the bore wells and the open dug wells done by the

project has been attached for reference.


Soil Profile (Graph 6)

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

1 13 25 37 49 61 73 85 97 109 121 133 145 157 169 181 193 205 217

Ele

vati

on

(M

SL

)

Surface Elevation Well Bottom Top Soil Subsoil


2004 Tsunami & Water Table

One of the objectives of this survey was to find any changes in the groundwater table after the tsunami. No borewells

in the survey were reported to produce saline water or the amount of water produced changing after the 2004

earthquake and tsunami.

However there is difference in the average depth of the groundwater table found in borewells constructed before and

after the earthquake. The average depth of the groundwater table found in borewells constructed before December

2004 was found to be 49 feet after December 2004 the average depth was only 33 feet.

This finding corresponds to other research2 that indicates that the 2004 earthquake thrust the northern islands up and

caused the southern islands to sink. Since most of the borewells in this survey are located on the southern islands this

change in the average groundwater table elevation may indicate that the absolute water level stayed the same as the

ground sank around it causing the observed difference.

2 Tony Lowry “USU Geophysicist says Fault Movement Continues Since 2004 Tsunami” <http://www.usu.edu/ust/index.cfm?article=20502> (accessed Feb 18,

2009).


Conclusion

There are approximately 2000 borewells on the islands. Only 10% or 220 borewells were covered in this survey. If

more borewells are added to the survey the reliability of the data will increase and thus be more useful. Also adding

these data to other data sets will increase the functionality as a water resource management tool.

The bore well survey also focused on the South Andaman area. This is partially due to the greater number of

borewells drilled in this urban area. Bore wells are clumped in populated pockets and thus evenly spread data will not

be available. However it is assumed that there will be lot of similarity between these Islands and the result and

findings of South Andaman Islands can also be applied to other Islands.

Given the fragile eco system and high tectonic activity in Andaman it is absolutely imperative to do a detailed study of

the groundwater status and also regulate groundwater extraction. This survey is only the beginning and much more

work needs to be done and this work has the seed for such a detailed study in the future.

- Jai Hind

Annexure

Soil Profile of Wells done by EHA Between 2007 - 2008


Bore Wells

Feet Carbyn's Quary Carbyn's Quary 2 Attam Pahad McCarty Valley Kattakhari Rochlachang Pailoon Nallah Bhadur Tikrey Bhadur Tikrey 2 Lalit Katai

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

115

120

125

Fresh * Fresh * Fresh * Fresh # Fresh # Saline # No Water # Saline # Dry * Saline #

* Machine Bore

# Hand Driven Bore (all ended with hard formation)

South Andaman Middle Andaman North Andaman

Legends

Silty Clay/ Loamy soil c

Black Sedimentary Clay

Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Open Dug Wells

Depth (Feet)Srinagar Parangara Navin nagar

Narayan

Tikery Ramnagar Keralapuram Milangram Swarajgram

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Depth (Feet)

3 no. slope

Kadamtala

Foester

valley

Kaushilaya

Nagar

TV Center,

RangatBakuntala Rangat Bay Yerrata Deep Nagar Hari Nagar

Laukui

Nallah

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Middle Andaman

North Andaman

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Feet

Fisher Man

ColonyLucknow Lataw Rampur

5

10

15

20

25

30

Feet

Bamboo

nallah1

Bamboo

Nallah 2

Krishna

NagarRoclachang Flat Bay

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

FeetNayagaon Bada Balu Bada Balu 2 Brokshabad Attam Phard

5

10

15

20

25

South Andaman Island

Mayabunder Island

Baratang Island

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Soil Profile of Wells - Data Collected


Dry Wells

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Anarkali & Kodyaghat Dry Dry DryMSL ft

180

175

170

165

160

155

150

145

140

135

130

125

120

115

110

105

100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30

-35

-40

-45

-50

-55

-60

-65

-70

-75

-80

-85

Anarkali

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters

Dry

MSL ft

125

120

115

110

105

100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30

-35

-40

-45

-50

-55

-60

-65

-70

-75

-80

-85

-90

-95

-100

-105

-110

-115

-120

-125

-130

-135

-140

-145

-150

-155

-160

-165

-170

Kadyaghat


Haddo Dry Dry Dry Dry

MSL ft

220

215

210

205

200

195

190

185

180

175

170

165

160

155

150

145

140

135

130

125

120

115

110

105

100 NA

95 NA

90 NA

85 NA

80 NA

75 NA

70 NA

65 NA

60 NA

55 NA

50 NA

45 NA

40 NA

35 NA

30 NA

25 NA

20 NA

15 NA

10 NA

5 NA

0 NA

-5 NA

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30

-35

-40

-45

-50

-55

-60

-65

-70

-75

-80

-85

-90

-95

-100

-105

-110

-115

-120

-125

-130

-135

Haddo

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Aberdeen Bazar Dry Dry Dry DryMSL ft

110105100

95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10

5 0

-5 -10 -15 -20 -25 -30 -35 -40 -45 -50 -55 -60 -65 -70 -75 -80 -85 -90 -95

-100 -105 -110 -115 -120 -125 -130 -135 -140 -145 -150 -155 -160 -165 -170 -175 -180 -185 -190 -195 -200 -205

Aberdeen Bazar

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Brookshabad & Beodnabad

Dry

MSL ft

240

235

230

225

220

215

210

205

200

195

190

185

180

175

170

165

160

155

150

145

140

135

130

125

120

115

110

105

100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30

-35

-40

-45

-50

-55

-60

BurshabadDry

MSL ft

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30

-35

-40

-45

-50

-55

-60

-65

-70

-75

-80

-85

-90

-95

-100

-105

Beodnabad

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Delanipur Dry Dry Dry Dry

MSL ft

230

225

220

215

210

205

200

195

190

185 NA

180 NA

175 NA

170 NA

165

160

155

150

145

140

135

130

125

120

115

110

105

100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30

-35

-40

-45

-50

-55

Delanipur

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Kamaraj Nagar Dry

MSL ft

205

200

195

190

185

180

175

170

165

160

155

150

145

140

135

130

125

120

115

110

105

100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

Kamraj Nagar

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Lilipur Dry Dry

MSL ft

200

195

190

185

180

175

170

165

160

155

150

145

140

135

130

125

120

115

110

105

100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

Lilipur

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Minnie bay Dry

MSL ft

125

120

115

110

105

100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30

-35

-40

-45

-50

-55

-60

-65

Minibay

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Pongychang Dry

MSL ft

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30

-35

-40

-45

-50

-55

-60

-65

-70

-75

-80

-85

-90

-95

-100

-105

-110

-115

Pongychang

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Sanjeevan Colony & Shippighat

Dry

MSL ft

210

205

200

195

190

185

180

175

170

165

160

155

150

145

140

135

130

125

120

115

110

105

100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

Sanjeevan Colony

Dry

MSL ft

105

100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30

-35

-40

-45

-50

-55

-60

-65

-70

-75

-80

-85

-90

-95

-100

-105

-110

Shippighat

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Wandoor Dry

MSL ft

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30

-35

-40

-45

-50

-55

-60

-65

-70

-75

-80

-85

-90

-95

-100

-105

-110

Wandoor

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Mayabunder

Dry Dry Dry

MSL ft

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30

-35

-40

-45

-50

-55

-60

-65

Mayabunder

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters


Digilipur Dry

MSL ft

100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30

Subhashgram, Digilipur

Dry

MSL ft

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

RK Gram, Diglipur

Legends



Soft Slate

Hard Slate

Soft Rock

Hard Rock

Sand

Bouldres/ Splinters

borewell survey report - andaman

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