Dr. Sahebrao Sonkamble

Specialization

Groundwater, Geo-environment and Wetlands

Research Area

Dr. Sahebrao Sonkamble has obtained Master of Science degree in Environmental Technology from SRTM University Nanded, Maharashtra, India in 2004. His M.Sc dissertation work on “Comparative studies of Groundwater Quality of Basaltic and Granitic Aquifers at the southern margin of DVP in India” has been published in Journal of Hydrology which has prompted him to opt Aqueous Geochemistry as a challenging career. Applying hydro-chemical evolution and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) he estimated Basaltic Trap thickness at lateral margins of Basalt-Granite (at DVP) for the implications of groundwater resource mapping. Dr. Sonkamble joined CSIR-NGRI as Research Scholar in 2007 and further enhanced his qualifications by obtaining Ph.D in Hydrogeology of coastal aquifers from Department of Geology, University College of Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India in 2012. His Ph.D research work has 1) resolved hydrochemical complexity of coastal aquifers using source speciation, 2) identified dispositions of freshwater lens in coastal area, 3) demarcated seawater intrusion and industrial pollution zones, 4) vulnerability assessment of coastal aquifer system for irrigation suitability, and 5) establishing well design to avoid short circuiting of fresh and saline water at coastal belt which are published in peer reviewed SCI journals such as Marine Pollution Bulletin, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Environmental Earth Sciences, etc.

Dr. Sonkamble has been serving CSIR-NGRI for the past sixteen years in Groundwater Division and associated in executing sixteen R&D and applied science projects successfully, involving Geophysical, Hydrogeological, Topographical investigations and Environmental Impact Assessment studies for groundwater resources management in various geological terrains in India and sub-Saharan Africa. He gained extensive field experience and operation of latest tools like Multi-Electrode Resistivity Imaging System, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Insitu chemical parameter meters, Double Ring Infiltrometer, and Differential GPS. He took charge of Additional Area Party Chief for AQMAH Nagpur pilot area under AQUIM project (2012-2015) (World Bank funded) where he could demarcate individual basaltic flow and basalt-gondwana contact integrating ground and airborne geophysics such as electrical resistivity surveys (1D & 2D) and airborne electromagnetic (AEM).

He has published research articles in peer reviewed eminent journals (SCI) such as Water Research,  Journal of Hydrology,   Marine Pollution Bulletin,   Science of the Total Environment,   Chemosphere,   Geophysics,   etc.

His current research fields are,

• Wetland hydrology for wastewater treatment using Natural Treatment System (NTS)
• Soil aquifer treatment (SAT) and Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) studies
• Aqueous geochemistry and evolution of hydrochemical processes
• Groundwater studies [exploration, assessment, management, decision support tool (DST), pollution & seawater intrusion]
• Hydrogeology and Tracer studies [Tritium as tracer for recharge studies, Neutron probe moisture measurement, soil grain, porosity and permeability]  
• Geo-technical studies for EIA of Sanitary and Secure landfill sites and other pollution sites
• Hydrogeological transformation of geophysical data