Hydrogeochemical Baseline and Sustainable Resource Management for the Capital City of Amaravati, India

Groundwater is the principal source of drinking and irrigation in the Amaravati, India, where large-scale urban development is planned over a fertile alluvial floodplain. Establishing a pre-urbanization hydrogeochemical baseline is essential for sustainable groundwater management and long-term water security. This study evaluates groundwater quality using integrated hydrochemical analysis, hydrogeochemical facies interpretation, Water Quality Index (WQI), irrigation suitability indices, and GIS-based spatial analysis. A total of 100 groundwater samples were analyzed for major physicochemical parameters. Results indicate that groundwater is predominantly alkaline and largely controlled by natural geochemical processes, particularly rock–water interaction, mineral weathering, and ion exchange. Spatial variability in salinity, hardness, nitrate, and fluoride highlights localized anthropogenic influences linked to agriculture and emerging urban activities. WQI results show that 73% of samples fall within excellent to good drinking water quality, with limited pockets exhibit poor to unsuitable quality. The study provides a critical baseline to support sustainable groundwater governance during early urbanization.