This paper on the GIS Development site discusses the approach adopted for establishing ground water information system (GWIS) of the Upper Barakar Basin using geographic information system (GIS) and groundwater for windows (GWW). This is because occurrence of groundwater is a limited and scarce resource in the Chotanagpur Plateau of Bihar. It is becoming a precious natural resource due to increasing population, agriculture, and industrial growth in the region. For quick overview of the problem and its remedial measures, there is a need to establish ground water information system where data from various sources can be stored and analysed in time and space.
To develop ground water information system (GWIS) of the Upper Barakar Basin, Bihar, GRAM++ GIS and GWW package have been used. GRAM++ helps in analysing various spatial and non-spatial data relared to groundwater whereas GWW stores data, creates hydrographs, well logs, various chemical diagrams, cross section, fence diagrams, contour maps etc. At present 450 observation sites have been included in GWIS of Upper Barakar Basin and it includes information about the water table fluctuation, geology, geomorphology, aquifer characteristics, electrical litho-log, topography, location and administrative details, depth of basement, aquifer hydro-geophysical parameters, panel and cross section of the aquifer etc.
The geographic information system GIS) and groundwater for windows (GWW) helped in creating interactive ground water information system. The scattered non-standard data on different parameters available with different users agencies could be well arranged in reteriviable format in GWW. Now the GWIS of Upper Barakar basin is providing well arranged and stuctured database. The created information system in GIS and GWW may be used to the standard ground water modeling package. However due to lack of interface between GIS package and GWW, the data related to other natural resources can not be actively linked together. There is further scope for development of interface between GIS ( in present case GRAM++).
At present there is no common plareform for creation of GWIS in the country. The approach adopted in the creation of GWIS for Upper Barakar Basin, Hazaribagh may be used in the other parts of Country. GWIS of Upper Barakar has provided oppurtunity to understand the different themes of ground water in integrated manner.