Impact of Natural Processes and Human Activities on Groundwater Quality in the Negombo-Muthurajawela Region in Sri Lanka

Abstract Groundwater plays an important role in water supply and economic development for Yantai city, China. However, the groundwater quality has degraded due to the increase and expansion of agricultural and industrial development. It is urgent to acquire groundwater characteristics and distinguish impacts of natural factors and anthropogenic activities on the groundwater quality. Forty-six groundwater samples collected from different wells showed a great variation of chemical components across the study area. Most wells with higher total dissolved solids, total hardness, K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl− and SO42− concentrations were located relatively close to the coastal zone. The factor analysis (FA) and hierarchical cluster analysis results displayed that seawater intrusion was the primary mechanism controlling the groundwater quality in the coastal areas. A three-factor model was proposed based on the FA and explained over 85% of the total groundwater quality variation: Factor 1, the seawater intrusion; Factor 2, the water–rock interaction and Factor 3 (NO3−), the human activities. Furthermore, the geographical maps of the factor scores clearly described the spatial distributions of wells affected by natural processes or human activities. The study indicated that both natural processes and human activities are the major factors affecting the chemical compositions of groundwater.

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The hydrochemical characteristics and quality assessment of groundwater in Shuangliao City, China

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/20199801034 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 98 ◽

pp. 01034 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mingjun Liu ◽

Changlai Xiao ◽

Xiujuan Liang

Keyword(s):

Groundwater Quality ◽

Human Activities ◽

Evaluation Method ◽

Comprehensive Evaluation ◽

Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation ◽

Hydrochemical Characteristics ◽

Analytic Hierarchy ◽

Liaohe River ◽

Geological Conditions ◽

Type Water

In this study, a hydrochemical investigation was conducted in Shuangliao city to identify the hydrochemical characteristics and the quality of groundwater using descriptive statistics and correlation matrices. And on that basis, combined with Analytic hierarchy process (AHP), an improved two-level fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is used to evaluate the groundwater quality. The results indicate that the major cations and anions in groundwater are Ca2+ and HCO3-, respectively. The chemical types are mainly HCO3—Ca type water, some areas are complicated due to the influence of human activities. The evaluation results show that the water quality in the area is mostly III type water, and the groundwater quality in some areas is IV or V water due to the influence of primary geological conditions or human activities. The groundwater quality in the East Liaohe River Valley and Shuangliao urban area is relatively poor, and in the northwest part which is the saline alkali soil area is also relatively poor.

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Environmental changes in Shamei Lagoon, Hainan Island, China: Interactions between natural processes and human activities

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences ◽

10.1016/j.jseaes.2012.03.008 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 52 ◽

pp. 158-168 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Jianjun Jia ◽

Jian Hua Gao ◽

Yi Fei Liu ◽

Shu Gao ◽

Yang Yang

Keyword(s):

Human Activities ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Hainan Island ◽

Natural Processes

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Fish Invasions in the World’s River Systems: When Natural Processes are Blurred by Human Activities

Fisheries Management and Conservation ◽

10.1201/b14535-15 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 260-276

Keyword(s):

Human Activities ◽

River Systems ◽

Natural Processes ◽

Fish Invasions

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Evaluation of groundwater quality and reverse osmosis water treatment plants in the endemic areas of Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka

The Science of The Total Environment ◽

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140716 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 745 ◽

pp. 140716

Author(s):

Sachithra Imbulana ◽

Kumiko Oguma ◽

Satoshi Takizawa

Keyword(s):

Chronic Kidney Disease ◽

Water Treatment ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

Kidney Disease ◽

Groundwater Quality ◽

Reverse Osmosis ◽

Unknown Etiology ◽

Water Treatment Plants ◽

Endemic Areas

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Trends of Temperature and Rainfall in Pokhara

Prithvi Academic Journal ◽

10.3126/paj.v3i0.29556 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

pp. 22-32

Author(s):

Upendra Paudel

Keyword(s):

Water Resources ◽

Human Activities ◽

Climatic Condition ◽

Air Pressure ◽

Natural Processes ◽

Increasing Trend ◽

Average Condition ◽

Meteorological Elements ◽

Vital Element

Climate is an average condition of temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind, precipitation and other meteorological elements. It is a changing phenomenon. Natural processes and human activities have helped change the climate. Temperature is a vital element of climate, which fluctuates in the course of time and leads to change other elements of the whole climate. An attempt has been made to analyze the pattern of temperature and rainfall of Pokhara with the help of the two decades’ temperature and rainfall conditions obtained from the station of Pokhara airport. The increasing trend of temperature and the decreasing trend of rainfall might be the symbol of climatic modification. This trend refers to some changes in the climatic condition that may affect water resources, vegetation, forests and agriculture.

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Groundwater quality in aquifers affected by the anthropogenic and natural processes in an urbanized area, south China

Environmental Forensics ◽

10.1080/15275922.2015.1133730 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 107-119 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Guanxing Huang ◽

Zongyu Chen ◽

Jichao Sun ◽

Jia Wang ◽

Qinxuan Hou

Keyword(s):

Groundwater Quality ◽

South China ◽

Natural Processes ◽

Urbanized Area

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Anthropogenic Effects on Hydrogeochemical Characterization of the Shallow Groundwater in an Arid Irrigated Plain in Northwestern China

Water ◽

10.3390/w11112247 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 2247 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Wang ◽

Mei ◽

Yu ◽

Li ◽

Meng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Groundwater Quality ◽

Saturation Index ◽

Shallow Groundwater ◽

Total Hardness ◽

Agricultural Activity ◽

Residential Areas ◽

Weathering Processes ◽

Natural Processes ◽

Geostatistical Techniques ◽

Hydrogeochemical Characterization

Many irrigated plains in arid and semi-arid regions have groundwater quality issues due to both intensive human activity and natural processes. Comprehensive studies are urgently needed to explore hydrogeochemical evolutions, investigate possible pollution sources, and understand the controls on groundwater compositions in such regions. Here, we combine geostatistical techniques and hydrogeochemical assessments to characterize groundwater quality over time in the Yinchuan Plain (a typical irrigated plain in China), using 12 physicochemical variables derived from sampling in 600 and 602 wells in 2004 and 2014, respectively. Our results show that groundwater-rock interactions and evaporation are the key natural factors controlling groundwater compositions. Hydrogeochemical water types in both 2004 and 2014 were Ca-HCO3, Na-Cl, and mixed Ca·Mg-Cl. Along with the hydrogeochemical compositions, we used ionic ratios and the saturation index to delineate mineral solution reactions and weathering processes. Dissolution of gypsum, halite, fluorite, and mirabilite, along with silicate weathering and cation exchange, were identified in the study area. Our results indicated rising ion concentrations in groundwater, which could be the result of anthropogenic influences. Increasing total hardness and nitrates over the study period were most likely caused by agricultural activity and the discharge of waste water from human residential areas.

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