Dykes as Groundwater Loci in Parts of Nashik District, Maharashtra

Field observations and analyses of the pumping test data of dug wells in parts of Nashik District show that dykes act as potential aquifers when they are jointed/fractured. On the other hand, when they lack primary porosity and permeability and are not jointed/fractured, they act as groundwater barriers. In such a case the upslope of the terrain functions as a good repository, while the downslope remains unproductive. In both the cases, as dykes help to find promising water-bearing formations, they may be referred to as loci of groundwater.