Groundwater is the major water resource for the agricultural development of the Guanzhong Basin, China. In this study, a total of 97 groundwater samples (51 from the North Bank of the Wei River (NBWR) and 46 from the South Bank of the Wei River (SBWR)) were collected from the central-western Guanzhong Basin. The aim of this study was to investigate the hydrogeochemical characteristics of the basin and to determine the suitability of shallow groundwater for irrigation. The groundwater of the entire study area is alkaline. The groundwater of the SBWR is fresh water, and the NBWR groundwater is either freshwater or brackish water. The average concentration of ions (except for Ca2+) in SBWR samples is lower than in NBWR samples. HCO3− is dominant in the groundwater of the study area. Ca2+ is dominant in the SBWR while Na+ is dominant in the NBWR. The SBWR groundwater is mainly of the HCO3-Ca·Mg type, and has undergone the main hydrogeochemical processes of rock weathering-leaching. The hydrochemical facies of the majority of the NBWR groundwater samples are the HCO3-Na type with several minor hydrochemical facies of the HCO3-Ca·Mg, SO4·Cl-Na, and SO4·Cl-Ca·Mg types. Its chemistry is mainly controlled by rock weathering, cation exchange, and evaporation. Salinity hazard, sodium percentage, sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate, magnesium hazard, permeability index, Kelley’s ratio, potential salinity, synthetic harmful coefficient, and irrigation coefficient were assessed to evaluate the irrigation quality of groundwater. The results of the comprehensive consideration of these indicators indicate that the percentage of NBWR water samples suitable for irrigation purposes ranges between 15.7% and 100% at an average level of 56.7%. Of the SBWR water samples suitable for irrigation, the percentage ranges from 78.3% to 100% with an average of 91.8%. Land irrigated with such water will not be exposed to any alkali hazard, but will suffer from a salinity hazard, which is more severe in the NBWR. Thus, most of the water in the NBWR can be used for soils with good drainage conditions which control salinity.

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/9/1492/pdf

Hydrogeochemical Characterization and Irrigation Quality Assessment of Shallow Groundwater in the Central-Western Guanzhong Basin, China

Irrigation with Saline Water

Groundwater quality and associated human health risk assessment in parts of Raebareli district, Uttar Pradesh, India

The original version of this article unfortunately
contained a mistake in Table 1 and Eqs. 1 and 5.

Hydrochemistry and evaluation of groundwater suitability for irrigation and drinking purposes in the Markandeya River basin, Belgaum District, Karnataka State, India (vol 173, pg 459, 2011)

In southern India, Attur is a major groundwater province with substantial groundwater quality and quantity deficiencies as a result of increasing population density and urbanization. In the present study, 43 bore well locations are identified in the study area to evaluate the appropriateness of the nature of groundwater for domestic and irrigation uses. The study region majorly covered by charnockite, hornblende biotite gneiss, and porphyroclasts bearing mylonites are exposed in the foothill. The dominant ions in groundwater are as follows K+, >Na+, >Mg2+, and >Ca2+ for cation and Cl–, >HCO3, and >SO4 for anions. It’s revealed that groundwater is mainly alkaline and hard in nature for domestic uses. Various irrigation indices have been calculated for the evaluation of groundwater quality parameters for irrigation suitability. The most efficient methods of statistical analysis are principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was carried out in the study. It has also been found that, weathering of host rocks and their minerals, agricultural waste, synthetic fertilizers, and anthropogenic activities are strongly influencing the quality of water in study area. The research concluded that, remedial measures such as primary treatment are immediately needed before use for drinking uses.

/pdf/impact-of-climate-and-anthropogenic-activities-on-43rjrf1d3s.pdf

Impact of climate and anthropogenic activities on groundwater quality for domestic and irrigation purposes in Attur region, Tamilnadu, India

The Kouh-e Zar mining area with iron oxide-rich types of Cu–Au (IOCG)-type gold mineralization is located in a fractured zone between two main “Darouneh” and “Taknar” faults in 35 km northwest of Torbat-e Heydarieh. In this study, the hydrogeochemistry and water quality of groundwater were examined for irrigation uses. Totally, 11 groundwater samples were collected in semi-arid area surrounding the mine. According to the irrigation water quality indices such as sodium absorption ratio, sodium percentage, residual sodium carbonate, residual sodium bicarbonate, potential salinity, salinity index, salinity hazard, permeability index and magnesium hazard, the water resources were appraised suitable to unsuitable. Na+ was a dominant cation and HCO3− was a dominant anion in the water samples. Fortunately, SO42− content is low (< 250 mg/L) in the water samples because of low-sulfide content mineralization in this mine. Water–rock interaction was defined as the controlling process on groundwater chemistry based on the Gibbs diagram. Calculated saturation indices revealed that the anion and cations in groundwater originated from dissolution of minerals and evaporation process. In the case of dominant Ca2+ and Mg2+, they were originated by dissolution of carbonate minerals such as calcite, dolomite and aragonite. Na+ was likely originated by plagioclase weathering in the brecciated volcanic rocks. Though the sulfidic mineralization is not so high in the Kouh-e Zar area, however, considering the existence of metalogenic mineralization in the Kouh-e Zar area, there is also a risk potential of release of toxic elements into the groundwater on which further deep investigation is ongoing in the area.

M. H. Mahmudy-Gharaie

Papers

Assessment of groundwater suitability for irrigation in a gold mine surrounding area, NE Iran