NEW INSIGHTS IN GROUNDWATER

SYSTEM OF KATHMANDU VALLEY

Pond using spring water since last 106 years

Anoj Khanal
Hydrogeologist (Research Section)
Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Management Board
geologistkhanal@gmail.com
2 Outline
1. Existing Understandings

2. New insights/Update
 Number of tube wells, Water Table, User Groups

 Hydrogeology, Aquifer System, Water Quality

 Policy, Regulation, Management

3. Conclusion
Presentation on 10th National Groundwater Symposium (geologistkhanal@gmail.com) 3/18/2019
3 Existing Understanding
Milestones in Groundwater Development in Kathmandu Valley
Investigation started in 1960 through Indian cooperation mission , drilled 9 exploratory tube wells
By 1972- USAID mission and WHO drilled 35 tube wells
Research works started through Binnie and Partners 1973, JICA 1990
KVWSMB formed in 2063, brought out GW policy on 2013 (2069)
Prepared भूमिगत जल उपयोग मिर्दे मिका, Jalashorot Niti in 2071 along with various acts and
Regulations
Started licensing- so far licensed 80% of known tubewells.
Numerous research project – KVWSMB is leading

Presentation on 10th National Groundwater Symposium (geologistkhanal@gmail.com) 3/18/2019

 4 Existing Understanding Contd..

7 aquifer types of Binnie and

Environmental and Engineering
JICA 1990- 3 groundwater partners(1973)- Interbedded, Linear,
Geological Map- DMG1998 Bedrock, Basal gravels, River deposits,
districts Gravel fans, Surface gravel.

Source: (JICA 1990)

Presentation on 10th National Groundwater Symposium (geologistkhanal@gmail.com) 3/18/2019
 Existing Understanding Contd..

Groundwater abstraction Number of Tubewell?

Volume / Water User Groups

Groundwater Depletion
Trend? Source of Contamination
in individual aquifer?
6 Update
 Number of tube wells, Water User Groups and Water Table
Item No. Date from Date to
Lithology (Shallow + deep) 414+1429 1965 2018

With Screen data 800 1965 2018

Single screen, max. 230, 11 (Mulpani) 1965 2018
screens
Hit bedrock 204 1965 2018
Screen in bedrock 95 1965 2018
Transmissivity 250 1965 2018
Hydraulic Conductivity 214 1965 2018
Static water level 655 1965 2018
Water quality, 426, Dhapasi well in 2000, 2003, 2012 & 2016
Presentation on 10th National Groundwater Symposium (geologistkhanal@gmail.com) 3/18/2019
7 Quality of Data?
Categorization based of Quality of Data
900 839
 787 litholog,
800
 920 electrical logging data,
700
 874 screen position data,

Number of Data
600
 944 static water table data,
500
 478 pump test data,
400
 426 water quality data are 327
300 253

200
100 56

0
A B C D
Categorization of Data
Presentation on 10th National Groundwater Symposium (geologistkhanal@gmail.com) 3/18/2019
 8 Trend of Tubewell Construction
120

101
100
Total Number of TubeWell by year

80 78
Number of TubeWell

60
55

50

42
40

32 33

27 27
23 23 22 23
19 20 20
20 18 17
14 15 15 15 14
12 12 12 12 13 12
10 9 9
8 8 7 7 8
6 6
3 3 4 3
2 2 1 2 1 1 2 2
0 Presentation on 10th National Groundwater Symposium (geologistkhanal@gmail.com) 3/18/2019
1960

1963

1965

1966

1971

1972

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018
Year of Construction (A.D.)
 Well User Groups

350
316

300

250
 Diverse User Group
200

150
 KUKL is the134
major user
119

 4H First Priority for KVWSMB

103 103
100
72 68 67 71
63 59
51
50 38 39
30 24

Private Office
Bank

Educational Institute

Embassy

Government office

Hospital

Hotel

Housing

Industry

Market

Others

Private

Private water supply

Research

Unknown
KUKL

10/20/2018 (6th
SURF Shop, Bali,
Indonesia)
10 Groundwater Depletion
Limited Data

Same place but showing

increase and decrease of
water level

Depletion on few areas of

points (if any) can't be
extrapolated throughout
the valley

Presentation on 10th National Groundwater Symposium (geologistkhanal@gmail.com) 3/18/2019

 11 New Insights
 Hydrogeology, Aquifer System, Water Quality

 Whole of Kathmandu Valley was divided

into 5 vertical and 5 horizontal sections.
Grid Interval 4km in both N-S and E-W
direction.
 Subsurface geology made clear
through Cross sections.
Cross section were drawn in East - West
and North – South direction.

Presentation on 10th National Groundwater Symposium (geologistkhanal@gmail.com) 3/18/2019

12 Classification of Drillers lithology by Shepard Classification System

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13

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 New groundwater sources?
15 • Y shaped trench like structure, max
depth >550m
• 2 axes observed Western axis runs
along Tokha-Maharajgunj-Lazimpat-
Bhrikutimandp-Minbhawan-Gwarko.
• The eastern axis runs from the north
east to south west from Bode-
Sanothimi-Gwarko. both merge at
Gwarko and continue to Lubhu,
Harisiddhi, Sunakothi, Bungamati area
as well.

New areas might serve as a Contingency Plan/Disaster Preparedness for Kathmandu Valley
Presentation on 10th National Groundwater Symposium (geologistkhanal@gmail.com) 3/18/2019
16 Bedrock screen distribution map

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Water Quality
Fecal
Coliform

 Both Geogenic and

Anthropogenic
Contaminations
 E.Coli is new
emerging challenge
due to faulty
construction
practices
Water Quality Contd..
Reasons for E.coli in Deep Groundwater
• Faulty Well Design
• Well Screens in both Shallow and
Deep Aquifers
• Lack of guidelines for constructing
and abandoning tubewells
 Modelling using Visual MODFLOW Flex 5.1
19
 Boundary, Geological Horizons, Zone Properties
 Boundary Conditions (Pumping Well, Recharge, River)
Conceptual Model
 Grid

 Edit Properties, Boundary Condition


Numerical Model

Observation Wells
Translate & Run Output of Model was
not enough for
 Change zone properties
decision making
Calibration  Check Performance Parameter (Residual Error & R2) process despite of
using 1000 wells data
Ground Water Model in MODFLOW

Compare Baseline Water

Simulate Water Table Simulate Water Table
Table 2013 with Bottom
(Baseline Pumping for Year (Baseline & Scenarios
Elevation of Weathered
2004 & 2013) Pumping for 2013)
Bedrock

Obj. 3: Analyze water

Obj. 1: Analyze Change in Obj. 2: Estimate Ground
table change from
Water Table Water Potential
pumping scenarios

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20 Conclusion
Aquifer Systems should be reclassified now.
3 Groundwater District from JICA 1990, should be updated
 Anthropogenic and Geogenic- Both contamination so quality should be handled
accordingly
Rock aquifer need more research as it has appeared to be very prominent source
of groundwater recently
Past research (last 20 years) using secondary data has lots of limitation. Scientific
outputs using secondary data and modelling approach is necessary for the sake of
science but has limited impact on decision making/policy interventions.
Presentation on 10th National Groundwater Symposium (geologistkhanal@gmail.com) 3/18/2019
21
Conclusion Contd..
 Establishment of network
of monitoring wells is first
step from here
 Aquifer wise data
acquisition in terms of
quality and quantity

Presentation on 10th National Groundwater Symposium (geologistkhanal@gmail.com) 3/18/2019

22
Conclusion Contd..
Alternate groundwater source
should be explored.
KVWSMB has already started a
project for exploration of GW
potential at Chandragiri Buried
Valley with Chinese Government
Assistance
It will serve as Contingency plan
for future disaster scenarios
Presentation on 10th National Groundwater Symposium (geologistkhanal@gmail.com) 3/18/2019
THANK YOU