AN INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER PHYSICOCHEMICAL QUALITY AND LAND USE/LAND COVER DYNAMICS IN THE PENNA RIVER BASIN, YSR KADAPA DISTRICT, INDIA

Abstract

Groundwater is a critical component of water security in the semi-arid landscapes of southern India, where seasonal recharge, geology, agriculture and changing land cover can jointly influence water chemistry. This study presents an integrated assessment of groundwater physicochemical characteristics and land use/land cover (LULC) dynamics in the Penna River Basin within YSR Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh, using the study framework and results developed during the 2022–2026 assessment period. The investigation covered sampling locations around Pulivendula, Muddanur, Mylavaram, Jammalamadugu and Peddamudium and evaluated seasonal patterns of chloride, total hardness, pH, nitrate, total dissolved solids (TDS), fluoride and iron. Spatial analysis was undertaken in a GIS environment, while LULC mapping was used to examine landscape changes from 2022 to 2025 and their potential relationship with groundwater quality. The results indicate clear seasonal and spatial variability, with fluoride showing a particularly dynamic pattern between pre-monsoon and post-monsoon conditions. The observed shift is consistent with the combined influence of groundwater concentration during dry periods and recharge-related dilution or mineral leaching after rainfall. LULC analysis shows that cropland remained the dominant class (>43%), while rangeland increased from approximately 32% in 2022 to 39% in 2024 before remaining near 37% in 2025. Tree cover declined from about 25% to 20%, and flooded vegetation decreased from approximately 15% to 12%. Water bodies, built-up land and bare land were comparatively stable. The combined evidence suggests that agricultural and vegetation-related land transitions are more important landscape changes than urban expansion during the study period. The study provides a GIS-supported baseline for groundwater surveillance and sustainable watershed planning in the Penna River Basin. Because the source presentation contains graphical rather than complete numerical observations for several water-quality parameters, detailed statistical significance and parameter-wise correlation coefficients should be added from the underlying analytical dataset before journal submission.