Geomorphological study of Sand Dunes with special reference to their Hydrogeology in Southern Coast of Odisha, India
Author Affiliations
- 1Rajiv Gandhi National Groundwater Training and Research Institute, Raipur, INDIA
- 2Department of Geology, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, INDIA
Int. Res. J. Earth Sci., Volume 2, Issue (9), Pages 15-21, October,25 (2014)
Abstract
The southern coast of Odisha enjoys a humid tropical climate. Availability of favourable conditions for dune development i.e. abundant sand supply, strong onshore wind and flat ground adjacent to the coast has given rise to all the possible types of dunes like embryo dune, fore dune, frontal dune, intermediate dune, back dune and palaeo-dune etc. These dunes differ from each other in their geometry and place of accumulation of sand. They support different types of vegetation like casurina, cashew, coconut, date palm, kewra as well as act like a buffer zone in protecting the coastal part from destructive effects of wave, tide, cyclone and tsunami. The sand dunes also serve as storehouses of different placer minerals like monazite, zircon, ilmenite, rutile and sillimanite. Being made up of unconsolidated and well sorted sands, the dunes possess appreciably high porosity and permeability making them good receptacles for storage of fresh groundwater. The water is mostly alkaline, moderately hard, fresh and potable and is used for drinking and agricultural purposes by the people of the coastal saline environment. The electrical conductivities of ground water varies from 399 to 1313 µs/cm. When the ground water is fresh the facies is (Na+K) - HCO type but when it is brackish facies is (Na+K) - (Cl + NO) type. Unsystematic exploitation of the sand dunes has resulted in imbalance of the coastal ecosystem, which is to be restored for the welfare of the inhabitants.
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