A water resource development study was carried out on a limestone mining area located in the Madukkarai block of Coimbatore district in Tamil Nadu state in India. The study covers the assessment of water resources for the present and future, water balance status and formulation of a management and conservation strategy for the area. Madukkarai block was considered as an influencing zone, which extends over an area of 249.16 km2. There is no perennial river in the study area and the annual average rainfall is only 590 mm. The groundwater is generally potable. Annual utilizable groundwater resource available in the area is 41.50 million m3 (Mm3) and the present annual groundwater requirement is 38.44 Mm3, whereas the annual requirement for various uses in the year 2010 and 2020 would be around 41.62 and 45.07 Mm3, respectively.

The paper describes a case study carried out for the development of water resources within a limestone mining area. The Madukkarai limestone mine covers an area of 1.68 km² in Madukkarai and Kurichi villages of Madukkarai block of Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu in southern India (Figure 1). At present, bottom bench of the open pit has deepened upto 21 m from the general ground level and reached the groundwater level of the area. As per the future demand of limestone, the open pit mine has to be deepened below groundwater level of the area. Therefore, exploitation of limestone in this open pit mine will influence the surface and groundwater resources in and around the mine, due to pumping of groundwater, as well as precipitated water which will be accumulated in the floor or sump of the open pit (Chaulya et al., 2000). Madukkarai block was considered as the influencing zone of the mining area for water resource development study, as well as for proper management and conservation of water resources.

Hydrological regime, especially water balance, is controlled by various factors, like topography and drainage, climate, geology and soil characteristics, aquifer characteristics and groundwater conditions, water recharge and potential, and water quality (Maidment, 1993; Marinos et al., 1997a and 1997b; Moraes et al., 1998; Grebenyukov, 2001; Drozhko et al., 2002, Haque, 2002; Sreedevi, 2002; Akujieze et al., 2003; and Naik and Awasthi, 2003). The assessment of surface and groundwater resources is necessary to know the availability with respect to the demand in and around the mine considering the influencing parameters for the area (Marsily, 1986; Kulkarni et al., 1997; Graniel et al., 1999; Karagüzel et al., 1999; and Seager, 2001). Assessment and management of water resource in and around the open pit is an integral part of the mine planning process throughout the operation period of the mine (Strack, 1998; and CMRI, 2000). Based on the study results, a management and conservation strategy is formulated for Madukkarai block, i.e., the study area. The paper includes a comprehensive site description, status of the water resources and balance, identification of recharging techniques, and recommends a management strategy for the enhancement of water resources in the region.

Collection of raw or secondary data characterizing the drainage patterns (map scale 1:50,000), recharge zones (map scale 1:50,000), rainfall, ground and surface water resources, water balance status and other details of the study area based on the requirement (Kothyari et al., 1997; Moraes et al., 1998; Karagüzel et al., 1999; Bell and Maud, 2000; Chaulya et al., 2000; Feng et al., 2000; Reddy et al., 2000; Grebenyukov, 2001; and Drozhko et al., 2002).

Soil And Water Sciences Journal, Water Resource Development, Water Resources, Groundwater Resources, Conservation Strategy, Management Strategy, Water Management Strategy, Monsoon Seasons, Metamorphic Rocks, Crystalline Tectonic Deformation, Hydrogeological Parameters, Electrical Conductivity, Agricultural Requirements, Crop Agricultural Land, National Water Policy.