Linking recharge water sources to groundwater composition in the Hindon subbasin of the Ganges River, India

Groundwater resources of the densely populated Indo-Gangetic Basin are under increasing pressure, not only from extensive groundwater abstraction, but also from contamination. In this study we aim to better understand how different recharge sources affect the hydrochemical and isotope composition of groundwater. We used the Hindon subbasin in Northern India as a case study. Recharge water sources and groundwater were analysed for hydrochemical variables and stable isotopes along a 50 km transect between the Yamuna and Ganges rivers. Groundwater samples were statistically clustered based on hydrochemical variables, and the spatial variation of the groundwater clusters was compared with recharge sources. Groundwater quality could be linked to both recharge from irrigation canal water as well as recharge from polluted river water of the Hindon and its tributaries. We could not directly link groundwater outside these related zones to their recharge source. However, we suspect that shallow polluted groundwater (< 40 m depth) is affected by recharge from agricultural areas and infiltration of municipal wastewater, whereas deeper unpolluted groundwater (40–80 m depth) originates from recharge by rain and river water under more pristine conditions. Our findings show that human activities significantly impact the quality of groundwater, as we found vertical recharge of clean irrigation canal water and polluted municipal, agricultural and river surface water (up to 40 m depth). At one location, groundwater at 75 m depth shows increased Cl, NO₃ and SO₄ concentrations, suggesting accelerated downward displacement of polluted shallow groundwater by pumping. Limited horizontal displacement was found. We present a conceptual model demonstrating the evolution from a previously unpolluted groundwater system discharging to the river, to a contemporary system with infiltration dominance of polluted river, municipal and agricultural water and local clean irrigation canal water. This model may be relevant for large parts of the Indo-Gangetic Basin.