• The thermotectonic architecture beneath the Vindhyan Basin. • The Malwa Plateau uplift is a high-conductivity feature formed by fissure eruptions. • Enhanced conductivity in the upper-mid crust during the late K-Pg periods. Magnetotelluric (MT) studies are employed to investigate the electrical structure beneath the Paleoproterozoic intracratonic Vindhyan rift basin, which is overlain by Deccan basalts. Deep thermotectonic activity, a geological process responsible for shaping a complex subsurface architecture, is more clearly revealed along a north-south MT profile that crosses geological faults and the Malwa Plateau. Using 25 broadband magnetotelluric (BBMT) stations and the non-linear conjugate gradient (NLCG) algorithm, a 2D electrical model was developed. The significant resistivity contrast in the model, ranging from ∼0.1 to 5000 Ωm, indicates altered resistivity in the Vindhyan basin sediments, which are exposed below 100 Ωm. Uncertainties in the basin thickness indicated along the profile, where it is approximately 2 km thick layer of sediments beneath stations vin01-vin08, are deposited on a resistivity feature, R2. Four conductors (C1, C2, C3, and C4) with resistivities between ∼0.1 and 1 Ωm are identified in the upper-mid crust, where the central conductors indicate the uplift of the Malwa Plateau, approximately 100 km wide. The east-west oriented faults could represent the earliest faults of the basin, with the Basoda-Barsingarh fault situated at the center of the plateau. Additionally, the Kannod-Damoh Fault and Ratlam-Shivpuri Fault surround it to the south and north, respectively. The plume activity associated with the supercontinents Columbia and Rodinia might have triggered the reactivation of these ancient faults. As tectonically weak zones, these faults provide pathways for heat, melts, and fluids to rise from the Reunion plume head, resulting in melting within the crust and upper mantle. The thermotectonic rejuvenation of the subsurface involves a crust-mantle boundary that becomes indistinct. Key factors contributing to increased crustal conductivity include carbonate-rich fluids trapped during the Paleoproterozoic, basaltic melts with fluid inclusions, and magmatic underplating during the late Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) periods. The melt fraction is estimated to range from 8% to 16% for each conductor with a bulk resistivity below 5 Ωm. As sulfides melt together with basaltic melts, they collectively boost the overall melt conductivity and decrease the partial melt fraction required to account for the high observed conductivity.

• Chronic waterlogging due to shallow water tables, low-permeability soils, and intense rainfall. • The study utilized 25 VES points and ERT to identify 3–4 geoelectric layers. • Localized contamination with heavy metals and fluoride exceeded safe limits. • High sodium content in water, posing long-term risks for soil and crop productivity. • Installing subsurface drainage systems, enhancing land use planning, and implementing targeted water quality monitoring to ensure environmental and agricultural sustainability. Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) in southeastern Nigeria faces recurrent waterlogging, poor drainage, and declining groundwater quality due to shallow water tables, low-permeability soils, intense rainfall, and unregulated land development. These issues have caused environmental degradation, hindered agriculture, and disrupted infrastructure. This study aims to evaluate the spatiotemporal hydrogeological and hydrochemical conditions of the AKSU campus to inform sustainable groundwater and drainage management. A combination of geophysical methods—vertical electrical sounding (VES) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT)—was employed alongside hydrochemical analyses, data mining (Pareto and AHP), and irrigation suitability assessments. Field investigations involved 25 VES points and 2D ERT surveys, processed using WINRESIST and RES2DINV. Results identified 3–4 geoelectric layers, including productive sandy aquifers, with transmissivity values ranging from 1195.3 to 6611.6 m²/day and high correlations (R² > 0.9) between bulk aquifer resistivity and hydrodynamic parameters. Laboratory analyses showed that most groundwater samples met WHO standards, though localized exceedances of Fe, Pb, Cu, Mn, Ni, and fluoride were observed. Irrigation indices revealed that high sodium levels limit long-term agricultural suitability. Pareto and AHP analyses highlighted drainage density, rainfall, and topography as key contributors to waterlogging. The study concludes with recommendations for subsurface drainage systems, improved land use planning, and targeted water quality monitoring to support long-term environmental and agricultural resilience.