Revealing Hidden Groundwater - Water Quality Nexus Relationships Using Multivariate Controls: Evidence from Vadodara, Western India

M Ushashree

Abstract: Groundwater level fluctuations are frequently used as a standalone indicator of groundwater stress, yet their ability to explain water quality variability remains limited. This study evaluates groundwater-water quality nexus relationships in Vadodara district, western India, by integrating groundwater level change with key hydrogeochemical parameters. Using annual datasets (2014-2021) for nitrate (NO₃^-), fluoride (F^-), and electrical conductivity (EC), both bivariate and multivariate regression models were developed. Uncontrolled models show negligible explanatory power of groundwater level change alone for nitrate (R² = 0.04) and fluoride (R² = 0.04). However, controlled nexus model incorporating EC and fluoride explain up to 98.5% of nitrate variability and 77.7% of fluoride variability. Results reveal strong hydrogeochemical mediation of groundwater quality and demonstrate that fluoride behaves as a geogenically controlled parameter rather than a direct function of groundwater stress. The findings highlight the limitations of single-variable groundwater indicators and emphasize the necessity of nexus-based, multivariate approaches for groundwater quality assessment and management.

Keywords: groundwater fluctuation, water quality nexus, nitrate, fluoride, electrical conductivity, water pollution, India

How to Cite?: M Ushashree, "Revealing Hidden Groundwater - Water Quality Nexus Relationships Using Multivariate Controls: Evidence from Vadodara, Western India", Volume 15 Issue 2, February 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1683-1688, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26223133245, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26223133245

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