scholarly journals Salinity-Based Spatial Evaluation of Groundwater Quality for Agricultural Use

Author(s):  
Parisa Pashahkhah ◽  
Hossein Babazadeh ◽  
Shahram Shahmohammadi-Kalalagh ◽  
Mahdi Sarai-Tabrizi

Abstract The Miandoab Plain has the largest water reserve in the province of West Azerbaijan, northwest Iran. Groundwater resources along with surface-water meet the needs of urban, industrial, and agricultural sectors, and therefore, their quality should be examined. Water quality indices are useful tools for aquifer management. In this research, the groundwater quality of the Miandoab Plain for agricultural purposes was investigated. For this purpose, the concentrations of the ions Mg2+, Ca2+, Na+, Hco3-, So42-, Cl- and the pH level were measured. The indices effective salinity and potential salinity as well as sodium adsorption ratio and electrical conductivity were analyzed to evaluate the salinity. The geostatistical analysis was performed using the GS+ software, and the zoning maps of salinity hazard were prepared using ArcGIS. To prepare the maps, EC, ES, PS, and SAR as well as Mg2+, Ca2+, Na+, Hco3-, So42, and Cl- were selected based on the semi-variogram values ​​and cross-validation technique. The Cl- map was considered as the basis for preparing the groundwater quality maps of the region. The results showed that the groundwater quality in the east of the plain is suitable, in the central part can be recommended under constant supervision, and in the west is unsuitable for agriculture. In other words, according to the geography of the plain, the recharge area is the low-risk part of the plain and the salinity hazard increases toward the discharge area. The results can pave the way for the relevant organizations to plan for the agricultural and environmental sectors.

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghasem Panahi ◽  
Mahya Hassanzadeh Eskafi ◽  
Hamidreza Rahimi ◽  
Alireza Faridhosseini ◽  
Xiaonan Tang

AbstractGroundwater is one of the most important water sources in arid and semi-arid areas. With the increasing world population and the water demand for agriculture and urban use, the need for water resources has increased, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, where groundwater resources play a significant role. To prevent the pollution of groundwater resources, various studies for their preservation and maintenance should be carried out, including a detailed plan for proper management of water resources and establishing a balance between water quality and how to use them. It becomes important to understand the spatial change of the quality of groundwater resources. In this study, Sabzevar plain, a typical region of semi-arid climate in Iran, was selected as a case study to assess the groundwater quality of the region, using data from 24 observation wells between 2015 and 2019. Using Arc GIS software, a map of groundwater quality parameters in the study area was prepared for quality assessment and comparison with existing international standards. The results showed that (except pH and HCO3−) the concentration of Sodium, Magnesium, and other anions and cations is higher than the corresponding WHO standard limit, suggesting that the study area is unsuitable for drinking and agricultural use. According to the Wilcox chart, 87.5% of the samples are in the C4S4 class while 8.33% are in the C4S3 class, showing the groundwater unsuitable for agricultural use due to its high salinity and alkalinity. Piper diagrams show that more than 50% of the samples are non-carbonate alkalis, indicating a very high salinity in the area. According to the pie chart, chlorine ion and sodium ion are the dominant anions and cations in the Sabzevar plain, respectively. The Schuler diagram shows that none of the samples examined were in a good class for drinking. Therefore, considering the importance of water for agricultural activities in the study area, it is recommended to have agricultural management solutions to prevent groundwater mixing with freshwater resources.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Serdiuk ◽  
◽  
V. Maksin ◽  

Agriculture, especially livestock, is rated as one of the most polluting industries in the world. In the other hand there is a modern approach to the technology implementation, and is this true that with its usage the impact on the environment is so critical and inevitably leads to environmental catastrophe. It is important to investigate and scientifically substantiate the impact of modern livestock complexes on the environment, especially on groundwater resources objectively,. And only after a number of studies conducted on pig farms with a capacity of 30 and 50 thousand heads per year it would be possible to determine next: is livestock an object of ultra-intensive pollution, or it is an object that does not have a significant negative impact on the environment and is also an economic and food lever of the country. The research was conducted on the example of the company JV LLC "NYVA PEREIASLAVSCHYNY" that is located in two districts of Kyiv region – Brovarskyi and Boryspilskyi. The sanitary protection zone size is 1500 meters to the nearest residential development (MINISTRY OF HEALTH OF UKRAINE, 1996). Projects to reduce the sanitary protection zone have not been developed as there is no need for it. Research of water quality was performed according to State Sanitary Regulations and Rules “Hygienic Requirements to Quality of Water Intended for Human Consumption” “2.2.4-171-10” (State Water Agency of Ukraine, 2010). It was conducted on samples that were taken from 4 artesian wells that are located on the territory of the pig breeding farm № 11. The aim of the research is to identify the impact of the pig breeding farm’s № 11 activity on the underground aquifer and surface water body. To reach this target water samples were collected according to the requirements established in the conclusion on environmental impact assessment from wells in the villages and river. Studies that were conducted during 2020 showed that the quality of water in wells meets the requirements for drinking water. Water samples from wells and ponds showed deviations from the norm up to 10 times. Previous studies did not set a negative impact of the pig breeding farm № 11 on groundwater quality.


2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 155-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Ivancev-Tumbas ◽  
E. Maljevic ◽  
Z. Tamas ◽  
E. Karlovic ◽  
B. Dalmacija

The better the quality of raw water resources, the higher the safety of drinking water supply. In the Danube river basin more than 60% of the population depends on groundwater sources. Organic micropollutants play an important role in quality assessment since they might cause different toxic effects in humans. There are two groups of organic micropollutants: regulated and non-regulated. In recent years, a lot of scientific effort was made to quantify their risks. Their occurrence is site specific and depends on social and economic factors, industry, population density, environmental conditions etc. That is why legislation intervention is required both at national and international level. This paper presents a literature review on the presence and fate of organic micropollutants that have been recently investigated in numerous projects worldwide. Special attention is paid to their mobility and risk for groundwater resources. Data on Serbian groundwater quality is presented for the period 2004–2005. In comparison with knowledge in developed countries, one can conclude that there is a general lack of data. More data about organic micropollutants presence is required, as well as identification of the pressures which lead to quality deterioration. Future quality assessment should be based on evaluated risks made considering both experience from developed countries and local conditions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 6091-6116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernd Kohlhepp ◽  
Robert Lehmann ◽  
Paul Seeber ◽  
Kirsten Küsel ◽  
Susan E. Trumbore ◽  
...  

Abstract. The quality of near-surface groundwater reservoirs is controlled, but also threatened, by manifold surface–subsurface interactions. Vulnerability studies typically evaluate the variable interplay of surface factors (land management, infiltration patterns) and subsurface factors (hydrostratigraphy, flow properties) in a thorough way, but disregard the resulting groundwater quality. Conversely, hydrogeochemical case studies that address the chemical evolution of groundwater often lack a comprehensive analysis of the structural buildup. In this study, we aim to reconstruct the actual spatial groundwater quality pattern from a synoptic analysis of the hydrostratigraphy, lithostratigraphy, pedology and land use in the Hainich Critical Zone Exploratory (Hainich CZE). This CZE represents a widely distributed yet scarcely described setting of thin-bedded mixed carbonate–siliciclastic strata in hillslope terrains. At the eastern Hainich low-mountain hillslope, bedrock is mainly formed by alternated marine sedimentary rocks of the Upper Muschelkalk (Middle Triassic) that partly host productive groundwater resources. Spatial patterns of the groundwater quality of a 5.4 km long well transect are derived by principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. Aquifer stratigraphy and geostructural links were deduced from lithological drill core analysis, mineralogical analysis, geophysical borehole logs and mapping data. Maps of preferential recharge zones and recharge potential were deduced from digital (soil) mapping, soil survey data and field measurements of soil hydraulic conductivities (Ks). By attributing spatially variable surface and subsurface conditions, we were able to reconstruct groundwater quality clusters that reflect the type of land management in their preferential recharge areas, aquifer hydraulic conditions and cross-formational exchange via caprock sinkholes or ascending flow. Generally, the aquifer configuration (spatial arrangement of strata, valley incision/outcrops) and related geostructural links (enhanced recharge areas, karst phenomena) control the role of surface factors (input quality and locations) vs. subsurface factors (water–rock interaction, cross-formational flow) for groundwater quality in the multi-layered aquifer system. Our investigation reveals general properties of alternating sequences in hillslope terrains that are prone to forming multi-layered aquifer systems. This synoptic analysis is fundamental and indispensable for a mechanistic understanding of ecological functioning, sustainable resource management and protection.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 331-344
Author(s):  
Milad Ebrahimi ◽  
Hamidreza Kazemi ◽  
Majid Ehteshami ◽  
Thomas D. Rockaway

ABSTRACT This study explores using probabilistic and deterministic approaches for evaluating the quality of groundwater resources. The proposed methodology first used the probabilistic approach, which included multivariate statistical analysis, to classify the groundwater's physiochemical characteristics. Then, building on the obtained results, the deterministic approach, which included hydrochemistry analyses, was applied for comprehensive assessment of groundwater quality for different applications. To present this multidisciplinary approach, a basin located in an arid region was studied. Considering the results from correlation and principal component analyses, along with hierarchical Q-mode cluster analysis, chloride salts dissolution was identified within the aquifer. Further application of the deterministic approach revealed degradation of groundwater quality throughout the basin, possibly due to the saltwater intrusion. By developing the water quality index and a multi-hazard risk assessment methodology, the suitability of groundwater for human consumption and irrigation purposes was assessed. The obtained results were compared with two other studies conducted on aquifers under similar arid climate conditions. This comparison indicated that quality of groundwater resources within arid regions is prone to degradation from salinization. The combined consideration of probabilistic and deterministic approaches provided an effective means for comprehensive evaluation of groundwater quality across different aquifers or within one.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudhir Singh ◽  
Chander Singh ◽  
Saumitra Mukherjee

AbstractHuman activities have exerted small to large scale changes on the hydrological cycle. The current scenario regarding groundwater resources suggests that globally there is a water crisis in terms of quantity (availability) and quality. Therefore there is a great need for the assessment and monitoring of quality and quantity of groundwater resources at local level. This paper presents a case study of the lower Shiwalik hills, in Rupnagar, Punjab, India, to trace land-use and land-cover changes during the past 17 years, with an emphasis on groundwater quality and quantity. This study was performed in alluvial and hilly terrain. The results show that the quantity of groundwater increased with the help of natural and artificial recharge due to change in land-use and land-cover pattern (increased area of fallow land). The quality of groundwater deteriorated due to input of fertilizers for enhancing the short-term soil fertility. Using a Remote Sensing and GIS based approach, we show the final results in map form. In particular we highlight a potential groundwater exploration site, which could be useful for district level planning. Our research shows that the change in land-use and land-cover affects the quantity and quality of groundwater.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Surya Singh ◽  
Vivek Parashar ◽  
Madhanraj Kalyanasundaram ◽  
Shweta Khare ◽  
Manju R. Purohit ◽  
...  

AbstractRampant use of groundwater for drinking purposes in several parts of the world has raised the concern over its quality. Owing to increasing population, overuse, and pollution of surface water sources, the use of groundwater has increased to considerable extent. Despite this, little attention is paid towards the monitoring of groundwater resources to assess their suitability for drinking purposes. To assess the groundwater quality in rural areas of Ujjain District of Madhya Pradesh, India, in order to check its suitability for drinking purpose, water quality analysis was done at seven time points during the two study years in six villages of Ujjain District, Central India. A total of 868 groundwater samples from 124 households were collected, and standard analytical methods were employed for analysis. Overall groundwater quality of the area is good and qualified for drinking. However, occurrence of high amount of dissolved solids (> 800 mg/L) and hardness (> 400 mg/L) is the issue of concern, as long-term use of such water might result in variety of health ailments, such as kidney stones and atopic dermatitis in children. Regular monitoring and long-term surveillance of drinking water sources are necessary to keep track of the changes occurring in the system.


2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 228-230
Author(s):  
Patil S.S Patil S.S ◽  
◽  
Gandhe H.D Gandhe H.D ◽  
Ghorade I.B Ghorade I.B

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