Spatial assessment of groundwater quality in the Jangseong region,South Korea

A total of 129 groundwater samples were collected in the Jangseong region of South Korea to characterize and evaluate groundwater quality and its suitability for irrigation and domestic uses. Samples were chemically analyzed for major ions, pH, electrical conductivity, and total dissolved solids following standard methods. The AquaChem 2014.2 model linked with PHREEQC was used for the statistical analysis and characterization of the hydrochemistry of the groundwater. The analysis showed that in all samples Ca–HCO₃ was the leading water type and that the abundance of major cations was in the order Ca > Na > Mg > K, and of anions in the order HCO₃ > Cl > SO₄ > F. According to the correlation analysis, Ca showed strong interdependence with HCO₃, suggesting that these parameters may have originated from common sources. Saturation index calculations indicated that all samples were undersaturated with respect to aragonite, calcite, dolomite, fluorite, gypsum, halite, and siderite, and oversaturated with respect to goethite and hematite. The irrigation suitability analysis revealed that groundwater in the Jangseong area can be used for irrigation without any restrictions based on EC, sodium adsorption ratio, percent sodium, residual sodium carbonate, Kelley ratio, permeability index, and the US Salinity Laboratory diagram analysis. The drinking water suitability analysis made for major parameters by comparison with the WHO guidelines indicates that the groundwater in the area is suitable for drinking except in some samples with high nitrate–N concentrations. The elevated nitrate concentrations in the groundwater are likely an indicator of agricultural pollution.     

Understanding groundwater chemistry in Mediterranean semi-arid system using multivariate statistics techniques and GIS methods: case of Manouba aquifer (Northeastern Tunisia)

The rapid urbanization and industrialization of the Manouba plain (Northeastern Tunisia), the extensive agricultural expansion and the succession of dry years during recent decades have exerted greatly load on the water needs and lead to groundwater quality degradation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the processes controlling the groundwater mineralization of the shallow aquifer for determining its suitability for drinking and agricultural purposes. For establishing that, we combine several geological, hydrological and hydrochemical data with geostatistical techniques. The samples were collected at 17 sites covering 230 km² of the study area and analyzed for major and trace components. The total dissolved solid (TDS) content ranges from 1372 to 3999 mg/l. The results of Piper diagram indicate that Na⁺/Cl^? and Ca²⁺?>?Na⁺/SO₄ ^2? were the main dominant water types localized in the sloping sides of the watershed and near the saline depression; the suitability for irrigation use was also evaluated. The high concentrations of nitrates and chlorides are indicators of anthropogenic pollution, like the agricultural over application of nitrogen fertilizers and the discharge of domestic and industrial wastewater. Saturation indexes calculated by using PHREEQC (USGS) program show that groundwaters are undersaturated with evaporitic minerals (halite, gypsum) and saturated with carbonates (calcite, aragonite). The use of principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis has shown that two main factors accounting 67.13% of the information of variability within the dataset confirm the existence of dissolution of evaporitic minerals and the mechanisms of nitrate increasing the salinity of the Manouba groundwater.     

Geochemical Characterization and Controlling Factors of Chemical Composition of Spring Water in a Part of Eastern Himalaya

This paper focuses on the suitability of spring water for drinking and irrigation purposes in a part of eastern Himalaya, south Sikkim. There are many anthropogenic and geogenic factors contributing as a source of major cations and anions in the spring water. The spring water chemistry show a variation in EC, pH, TDS, Temperature, Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Fe²⁺, Pb, Mn, Cu, HCO₃^-, Cl^-, PO₄^3-, NO₃^-, F^- and SO₄^2-. Mainly two types of water quality indexing has been used, one for suitability of spring water for drinking purposes and the other for irrigation purposes. For drinking purposes, Piper diagram used for determination of water type, water quality index (WQI) for quality monitoring and saturation index for mineral dissolution in water. % Na, RSC (Residual Sodium Carbon) and SAR (sodium absorption ratio) have been used for irrigation suitability. Piper diagram shows that CaHCO₃ type of water was dominant in the study area. The WQI depicted excellent category and SAR, percent sodium and RSC (Residual Sodium Carbon) depict excellent, good and permissible category for irrigation purposes. Principle component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the major influencing factor responsible for the variability in the parameters analysed of spring water.     

An appraisal of groundwater quality for drinking and irrigation purposes in southern part of Bathinda district of Punjab, northwest India

Groundwater is being used for drinking and irrigation purposes in the agricultural dominated Indian state of Punjab. Fifty-six groundwater samples were collected from Bathinda, a south-western district of Punjab, during the pre-monsoon (March 2010) and post-monsoon (October 2011) seasons. These samples were tested for major cations, anions and contaminants. Various classification systems were used to study the groundwater quality with respect to drinking as well as irrigation purposes. Total dissolved solids (TDS) and total hardness (TH) are generally used to determine the suitability of groundwater for drinking purpose. Considering TDS as a parameter, 54 and 57 % groundwater samples were found to be unsuitable for use during the pre- and post-monsoon seasons. A wide range of TH values were observed in the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon waters samples (mean 250 and 270 mgL^?1). About 75 % of pre-monsoon and 79 % of post-monsoon samples exceeded the maximum permissible limit (MPL) of TH (150 mg L^?1) proposed by WHO. In terms of contaminant ions, 40 % and 55 % of the pre- and post-monsoon water samples were unfit for drinking purposes w.r.t. fluoride (MPL 1.5 mg F L^?1), 29 and 36 % were unfit w.r.t arsenic (MPL 10 μg L^?1) and 33 and 45 % were unfit w.r.t nitrate (MPL 45 mg NO₃ ^? L^?1), respectively. To determine the suitability of groundwater of Bathinda for irrigation purpose, three classification systems proposed by different research workers were used. The parameters electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio, and residual sodium carbonate (RSC) were calculated on the basis of chemical data. Considering EC and RSC together, 32 % samples collected during pre-monsoon season were fit, 19 % were marginal and 49 % were unfit for use. However, during post-monsoon, samples fit for irrigation decreased to 17 % and samples unfit for irrigation increased to 70 %. Increases in the percentage of unfit samples for irrigation after monsoon indicates addition of salts along with the rain water percolated into the groundwater. The other two classification systems, i.e. US Salinity diagram and Wilcox diagram also showed the similar results.     

Suitability assessment of deep groundwater for drinking and irrigation use in the Djeffara aquifers (Northern Gabes,south-eastern Tunisia)

The multilayered Djeffara aquifer system, south-eastern Tunisia, has been intensively used as a primary source to meet the growing needs of the various sectors (drinking, agricultural and industrial purposes). The analysis of groundwater chemical characteristics provides much important information useful in water resources management. Detailed knowledge of the geochemical evolution of groundwater and assessing the water quality status for special use are the main objective of any water monitoring study. An attempt has been made for the first time in this region to characterize aquifer behavior and appreciate the quality and/or the suitability of groundwater for drinking and irrigation purposes. In order to attend this objective, a total of 54 groundwater samples were collected and analyzed during January 2008 for the major cations (sodium, calcium, magnesium and potassium), anions (chloride, sulfate, bicarbonate), trace elements (boron, strontium and fluoride), and physicochemical parameters (temperature, pH, total dissolved salts and electrical conductivity). The evolution of chemical composition of groundwater from recharge areas to discharge areas is characterized by increasing sodium, chloride and sulfate contents as a result of leaching of evaporite rock. In this study, three distinct chemical trends in groundwater were identified. The major reactions responsible for the chemical evolution of groundwater in the investigated area fall into three categories: (1) calcite precipitation, (2) gypsum and halite dissolution, and (3) ion exchange. Based on the physicochemical analyses, irrigation quality parameters such as sodium absorption ratio (SAR), percentage of sodium, residual sodium carbonate, residual sodium bicarbonate, and permeability index (PI) were calculated. In addition, groundwater quality maps were elabortaed using the geographic information system to delineate spatial variation in physico-chemical characteristics of the groundwater samples. The integration of various dataset indicates that the groundwater of the Djeffara aquifers of the northern Gabes is generally very hard, brackish and high to very high saline and alkaline in nature. The water suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes was evaluated by comparing the values of different water quality parameters with World Health Organization (WHO) guideline values for drinking water. Piper trilinear diagram was constructed to identify groundwater groups where the relative major anionic and cationic concentrations are expressed in percentage of the milliequivalent per liter (meq/l), and it was demonstrated that the majority of the samples belongs to SO₄–Cl–Ca–Na, Cl–SO₄–Na–Ca and Na–Cl hydrochemical facies. As a whole, all the analyzed waters from this groundwater have revealed that this water is unsuitable for drinking purposes when comparing to the drinking water standards. Salinity, high electric conductivity, sodium adsorption ratio and sodium percentages indicate that most of the groundwater samples are inappropriate for irrigation. The SAR vary from medium (S2) to very high (S4) sodicity. Therefore, the water of the Djeffara aquifers of the northern Gabes is dominantly of the C4–S2 class representing 61.23 % of the total wells followed by C4–S3 and C4–S4 classes at 27.27 and 11.5 % of the wells, respectively. Based on the US Salinity Classification, most of the groundwater is unsuitable for irrigation due to its high salt content, unless certain measures for salinity control are undertaken.     

Assessment of groundwater quality and hydrochemical characteristics in Farashband plain,Iran

Groundwater in Farashband plain, Southern Iran, is the main source of water for domestic and agricultural uses. This study was carried out to assess the overall water quality and identify major variables affecting the groundwater quality in Farashband plain. The hydrochemical study was undertaken by randomly collecting 84 groundwater samples from observation wells located in 13 different stations covering the entire plain in order to assess the quality of the groundwater through analysis of major ions. The water samples were analyzed for various physicochemical attributes. Groundwater is slightly alkaline and largely varies in chemical composition; e.g., electrical conductivity (EC) ranges from 2314 to 12,678 μS/cm. All the samples have total dissolved solid values above the desirable limit and belong to a very hard type. The abundance of the major ions is as follows: Na⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Ma²⁺ > K⁺ and Cl^? > SO₄ ^2– > HCO₃ ^?. Interpretation of analytical data shows three major hydrochemical facies (Ca–Cl, Na–Cl, and mixed Ca–Mg–Cl) in the study area. Salinity, total dissolved solids, total hardness, and sodium percentage (Na%) indicate that most of the groundwater samples are not suitable for irrigation as well as for domestic purposes and far from drinking water standard. A comparison of groundwater quality in relation to drinking water standards showed that most of the water samples are not suitable for drinking purposes. Based on the US salinity diagram, most of samples belong to high salinity and low to very high sodium type.     

Geochemical characterization of groundwater from northeastern part of Nagpur urban,Central India

Hydrogeochemical investigations are carried out in the northeastern part of Nagpur urban to assess the quality of groundwater for its suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes. Groundwater samples are collected from both shallow and deep aquifers to monitor the hydrochemistry of various ions. The groundwater quality of the area is adversely affected by urbanization as indicated by distribution of EC and nitrate. In the groundwater of study area, Ca²⁺ is the most dominant cation and Cl⁻ and HCO₃ ⁻ are the dominant anions. Majority of the samples have total dissolved solids values above desirable limit and most of them belong to very hard type. As compared to deep aquifers, shallow aquifer groundwaters are more polluted and have high concentration of NO₃ ⁻. The analytical results reveal that most of the samples containing high nitrate also have high chloride. Major hydrochemical facies were identified using Piper trilinear diagram. Alkaline earth exceeds alkalis and weak acids exceed strong acids. Shoeller index values reveal that base-exchange reaction exists all over the area. Based on US salinity diagram most of samples belong to high salinity-low sodium type. A comparison of groundwater quality in relation to drinking water standards showed that most of the water samples are not suitable for drinking purpose.     

A study on hydrochemical characteristics of surface and sub-surface water in and around Perumal Lake,Cuddalore district,Tamil Nadu,South India

Hydrogeochemical investigations are carried out in and around Perumal Lake, Cuddalore district, South India in order to assess its suitability in relation to domestic and agricultural uses. The water samples (surface water = 16; groundwater = 12) were analyzed for various physicochemical attributes like pH, electrical conductivity (EC), sodium (Na⁺), potassium (K⁺), calcium (Ca²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), chloride (Cl⁻), bicarbonate (HCO₃ ⁻), sulfate (SO₄ ²⁻), phosphate (PO₄), silica (H₄SiO₄) and total dissolved solids (TDS). Major hydrochemical facies were identified using Piper trilinear diagram. Hydrogeochemical processes controlling the water chemistry are water–rock interaction rather than evaporation and precipitation. Interpretation of isotopic signatures reveals that groundwater samples recharged by meteoric water with few water–rock interactions. A comparison of water quality in relation to drinking water quality standard proves that the surface water samples are suitable for drinking purpose, whereas groundwater in some areas exceeds the permissible limit. Various determinants such as sodium absorption ratio (SAR), percent sodium (Na%), residual sodium carbonate (RSC) and permeability index (PI) revealed that most of the samples are suitable for irrigation.     

Evaluating groundwater suitability for the domestic,irrigation, and industrial purposes in Nanded Tehsil,Maharashtra, India,using GIS and statistics

Hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater and its suitability for domestic, irrigation, and industrial purposes were evaluated in Nanded Tehsil. A total of 50 representative groundwater samples were collected from dug/bore wells during post monsoon season 2012 and analyzed for major cations and anions. The order of dominance of cation and anions were Na > Ca > Mg > K and HCO₃ > Cl > CO₃ > SO₄ > NO₃, respectively. The rock weathering and evaporation processes are dominant in controlling the groundwater quality in the study area. Electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solid (TDS) show high positive correlation with total Hardness (TH), Ca, Na, and Cl. As per the WHO and BIS standards for domestic water purposes, TDS, TH, Ca, Mg, Na, and Cl exceed the safe limits in 16, 22, 6, 18, 12, and 15 %, respectively; therefore, majority of samples show that the groundwater is suitable for drinking. The spatial distribution maps of physicochemical parameters were prepared in ArcGIS. The suitability of groundwater for agriculture purpose was evaluated from EC, TDS, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), and %Na which ranges from excellent to unsuitable, so majority of the groundwater samples are suitable for irrigation. The U.S. Salinity Laboratory (USSL) diagram shows that most of the groundwater samples are characterized as in high salinity-low sodium hazard type water (C₃-S₁). All the groundwater samples are suitable for industrial use except sample numbers 44 and 48. Thus, most of the groundwater samples from this study confirm the beneficial use of aquifers in the area for domestic, agricultural, and irrigation purposes. However, sample numbers 44 and 48 identify the two aquifers in the study area which are problematic and need particular remedial measures if they are to have beneficial use.     

Impact of recharge from a check dam on groundwater quality and assessment of suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes

Assessment of surface water and groundwater quality is necessary as it controls their usability for drinking and irrigation purposes. This study was carried out to assess the suitability of groundwater for these purposes and to understand the impact of water stored in a check dam on groundwater quality near Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Water samples were collected from a check dam across Arani River and 13 nearby wells during October 2010, January 2011, and April 2011. These samples were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, carbonate, bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate concentrations. The World Health Organization and the Bureau of Indian Standards guidelines were used to assess the suitability of groundwater for the purpose of drinking. Suitability of water for irrigation was determined based on the EC, sodium adsorption ratio, US Salinity Laboratory diagram, percentage sodium, Wilcox’s diagram, Kelly’s index, and Doneen’s permeability index. About 38 % of the groundwater samples were suitable for drinking and 70 % were suitable for irrigational use. Water stored in the check dam and groundwater in the wells closer to the structure were suitable for both drinking and irrigation purposes. The study confirms that the check dam in this area improves the groundwater quality in its surroundings.     

Hydrogeochemical parameters for assessment of groundwater quality in the upper Gunjanaeru River basin,Cuddapah District,Andhra Pradesh,South India

In the management of water resources, quality of water is just as important as its quantity. In order to know the quality and/or suitability of groundwater for domestic and irrigation in upper Gunjanaeru River basin, 51 water samples in post-monsoon and 46 in pre-monsoon seasons were collected and analyzed for various parameters. Geological units are alluvium, shale and quartzite. Based on the analytical results, chemical indices like percent sodium, sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate, permeability index (PI) and chloroalkaline indices were calculated. The pre-monsoon waters have low sodium hazard as compared to post-monsoon season. Residual sodium carbonate values revealed that one sample is not suitable in both the seasons for irrigation purposes due the occurrence of alkaline white patches and low permeability of the soil. PI values of both seasons revealed that the ground waters are generally suitable for irrigation. The positive values of Chloroalkaline indices in post-monsoon (80%) and in pre-monsoon (59%) water samples indicate absence of base-exchange reaction (chloroalkaline disequilibrium), and remaining samples of negative values of the ratios indicate base-exchange reaction (chloroalkaline equilibrium). Chadha rectangular diagram for geochemical classification and hydrochemical processes of groundwater for both seasons indicates that most of waters are Ca–Mg–HCO₃ type. Assessment of water samples from various methods indicated that majority of the water samples in both seasons are suitable for different purposes except at Yanadipalle (sample no. 8) that requires precautionary measures. The overall quality of groundwater in post-monsoon season in all chemical constituents is on the higher side due to dissolution of surface pollutants during the infiltration and percolation of rainwater and at few places due to agricultural and domestic activities.     

Evaluation of groundwater quality in the Cihanbeyli basin, Konya, Central Anatolia, Turkey

The Cihanbeyli basin is located in the northern part of Konya in the Central Anatolian region, Turkey and is characterized by semi-arid climatic conditions and scarcity in water resources. The suitability of groundwater quality for drinking and agricultural purposes in the Cihanbeyli basin was assessed by measuring physicochemical parameters, including major cation and anion compositions, pH, total dissolved solid, electrical conductivity, and total hardness. For this purpose, 54 samples were collected from different sources viz. deep wells, shallow wells, and springs. Results from hydrochemical analyses reveal that groundwater is mostly affected by salty and gypsiferous lithologies. Evaporite minerals such as gypsum, anhydrite, and chloride salts make high contributions from the recharge areas (west, northwest, and southwest parts) toward the discharge area (central and eastern parts). High values of total dissolved solids in groundwater are associated with high concentrations of all major ions. A comparison of groundwater quality in relation to drinking water standards showed that most of the water samples are not suitable for drinking. Based on sodium absorption ratio values and percent sodium, salinity appears to be responsible for the poor groundwater quality, rendering most of the samples unsuitable for irrigation usage. It is concluded that evaporation and mineral dissolution are the main processes that determine major ion compositions.     

Assessment of water quality for drinking and irrigation purposes: a case study of Başköy springs (Ağlasun/Burdur/Turkey)

It is important to know the quality of water resources for drinking, domestic and irrigation in the rural area. Because, in recent times, there has been increased demand for water due to population growth and intense agricultural activities, so, hydrogeochemical investigations come into prominence for the groundwater use. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate water quality of Ba?köy springs for both drinking and irrigation purposes. The geochemical processes and quality of springs were followed as seasonal in the study area. In view of geochemical classification, springs are Ca-Mg-HCO₃ water type for both seasons. Comparison of geochemical data shows that majority of the spring samples are suitable for drinking water. On the other hand, chemical indexes of springs with various classifications were calculated for irrigation purposes. According to the classifications (electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, total hardness, salinity hazard, percent sodium, sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate, residual sodium bicarbonate, permeability index, potential salinity, soluble sodium percentage, magnesium ratio, and Kelly’s ratio), Ba?köy springs are suitable for irrigation purposes. However, water quality of Çaygözü spring is different the other springs due to the high electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids. Also, groundwater mineralization processes and rock–water interaction are controlled with bivariate diagrams of major elements.     

Hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater and surface water for domestic and irrigation purposes in Vea catchment,Northern Ghana

The Vea catchment, mainly underlain by crystalline basement rocks, is located in Northern Ghana. Hydrogeochemical studies were carried out in this area with the objective of identifying the geochemical processes influencing water quality and suitability of surface and groundwater for agricultural and domestic uses. Sixty-one groundwater and four surface water samples were collected from boreholes, dams and rivers and analysed for Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, HCO₃ ^?, Cl^?, and SO₄ ^2?, Fe_tot, PO₄ ^3?, Mn_tot, NH₄ ⁺, NO₃ ^?, NO₂ ^?. In addition, pH, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, total hardness, turbidity, colour, salinity and dissolved oxygen were analysed. Chloro-alkaline indices 1 and 2, and characterization of weathering processes suggest that the chemistry of groundwater is dominated by the interaction between water and rocks. Cation exchange and silicate weathering are the dominant processes controlling the chemical composition of the groundwater in the area studied. Mineral saturation indices indicate the presence of at least three groups of groundwater in the Vea catchment with respect to residence time. The meteoric genesis index suggests that 86% of the water samples belong to the shallow meteoric water percolation type. The findings further suggest that the groundwater and surface water in the basin studied are mainly Ca–Mg–HCO₃ water type, regardless of the geology. Compared to the water quality guidelines of WHO, the study results on sodium absorption ratio, sodium percentage, magnesium hazard, permeability index and residual sodium carbonate indicate that groundwater and surface water in the Vea catchment are generally suitable for drinking and irrigation purposes.     

Salinization of groundwater in arid and semi-arid zones: an example from Tajarak,western Iran

Study of the groundwater samples from Tajarak area, western Iran, was carried out in order to assess their chemical compositions and suitability for agricultural purposes. All of the groundwaters are grouped into two categories: relatively low mineralized of Ca–HCO₃ and Na–HCO₃ types and high mineralized waters of Na–SO₄ and Na–Cl types. The chemical evolution of groundwater is primarily controlled by water–rock interactions mainly weathering of aluminosilicates, dissolution of carbonate minerals and cation exchange reactions. Calculated values of pCO₂ for the groundwater samples range from 2.34 × 10⁻⁴ to 1.07 × 10⁻¹ with a mean value of 1.41 × 10⁻² (atm), which is above the pCO₂ of the earth’s atmosphere (10^−3.5). The groundwater is oversaturated with respect to calcite, aragonite and dolomite and undersaturated with respect to gypsum, anhydrite and halite. According to the EC and SAR the most dominant classes (C3-S1, C4-S1 and C4-S2) were found. With respect to adjusted SAR (adj SAR), the sodium (Na⁺) content in 90% of water samples in group A is regarded as low and can be used for irrigation in almost all soils with little danger of the development of harmful levels of exchangeable Na⁺, while in 40 and 37% of water samples in group B the intensity of problem is moderate and high, respectively. Such water, when used for irrigation will lead to cation exchange and Na⁺ is adsorbed on clay minerals while calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺) are released to the liquid phase. The salinity hazard is regarded as medium to high and special management for salinity control is required. Thus, the water quality for irrigation is low, providing the necessary drainage to avoid the build-up of toxic salt concentrations.     

An integrated approach to assess the quality of groundwater in a coastal aquifer of Andhra Pradesh, India

The Narava basin in Visakhapatnam district situated on the east coast is a productive agricultural area, and is also one of the fastest growing urban areas in India. The agricultural and urban-industrialization activities have a lot of impact on this coastal aquifer water quality. The hydrochemistry of the groundwater was analyzed in the basin area with reference to drinking and agricultural purposes. The area is underlain by Precambrian rocks like khondalites, charnockites and migmatites. The water samples were collected from shallow wells for the year 2008. Physical and chemical parameters of groundwater such as pH, total alkalinity (TA), electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, HCO₃ ^?, Cl^?, SO₄ ^2?, NO₃ ^?, F^? were determined. The analytical results revealed that the most of the groundwater found to be in polluted category. Geographical information system (GIS) was utilized to generate different spatial distribution maps of various chemical constituents in the study area. The analytical data were used to compute certain parameters such as salinity hazard, percent sodium (Na%), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), permeability index (PI), Kelley??s ratio (KR) and corrosivity ratio (CR) to determine the quality of water for agricultural purposes. The abundance of the major ions in the basin area was found to be in the following sequence: Na⁺?>?Ca²⁺?>?Mg²⁺?>?K⁺:Cl^??>?HCO₃ ^??>?SO₄ ^2??>?NO₃ ^??>?F^?. According to Gibbs?? diagram most of the samples fall under rock dominance. As per Wilcox and USSL classification most of the groundwater samples are suitable for irrigation except few samples which are unsuitable due to the presence of high salinity and high sodium hazard. From the obtained data, it can be concluded that the water quality profile was good and useful for normal irrigation agriculture.     

A geochemical assessment of coastal groundwater quality in the Varahi river basin, Udupi District, Karnataka State, India

The Varahi Irrigation project site is located at 13°39′15″N (latitude) and 74°57′E (longitude) in Hole Shankaranarayana village, approximately 6 km from Siddapura, Kundapura taluk, Udupi district. A total of 59 groundwater samples were collected from dug and tube wells in November 2008 to evaluate hydrochemistry and suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes. The physico-chemical parameters estimated include pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), redox potential (Eh), total hardness (TH), total alkalinity (TA), temperature, major cations and anions, besides irrigation quality parameters like boron, sodium absorption ratio (SAR), % Na, residual sodium carbonate (RSC), residual sodium bicarbonate (RSBC), chlorinity index, soluble sodium percentage (SSP), exchangeable sodium ratio (ESR), non-carbonate hardness, potential salinity (PS), permeability index (PI), Kelly index (KI), magnesium hazard (MH), magnesium ratio (MR), index of base exchange. Chloride, sulphate and bicarbonate concentrations classified the groundwater samples into normal chloride, normal sulphate and normal bicarbonate water types, respectively. The Salinity (Class I; 98.3%), Chlorinity (Class I; 100%) and Sodicity (Class 0; 96.6%) indices suggest the suitability of groundwater for irrigation. The Wilcox diagram illustrates that 96.6% of the samples belongs to excellent to good category, while the US Salinity Laboratory (USSL) diagram indicates the low salinity/low sodium content in 86.44% of samples (C1S1). Positive index of base exchange in majority of the samples (91.52%) indicates direct base exchange reaction or chloro-alkaline equilibrium in the study area. The positive value of RSC in majority of samples signifying higher concentrations of HCO₃ over alkaline earths indicates that groundwater are base exchange-softened water as there is an exchange of alkaline earths for Na⁺ ions. Majority of water samples fall in the precipitation dominance field based on Gibbs’ ratio.     

Hydrogeochemistry and water quality assessment of shallow aquifers in the western flanks of Southern Western Ghats,SW India

The present study deals with the hydrogeochemistry and water quality of shallow aquifers in two important river basins—the Ithikkara and Kallada river basins—draining the south western flanks of Western Ghats in Kerala, South West India. Well water samples were collected from 20 dug wells with a depth range of 1 m below ground level (mbgl) to 18.2 mbgl during pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons of the year 2011–2012. These samples were analyzed for various physico-chemical parameters following standard methods and were evaluated for their interrelations and drinking water suitability. The pH of the water samples shows wide variation from highly acidic to highly alkaline water. About 80% of pre-monsoon samples recorded Fe²⁺ concentration above the permissible limit of drinking water standard. Water Quality Index (WQI) shows that majority of the well water samples fall in the category of excellent–good for drinking purpose. The results of the irrigation suitability assessment using the procedures like Percent Sodium, Sodium Absorption Ratio, Residual Sodium Carbonate, Kelly Index, Permeability Index, and Magnesium Hazard reveal that the well waters of the study area are fit for irrigation purpose. Na⁺/Cl^? ratio reflects the release of sodium to water due to silicate weathering. The samples have a Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺ ratio equal or greater than 2 indicating the effect of silicate minerals in contributing Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions to the well water. The saturation indices reveal that groundwater is supersaturated with SiO₂. Among the causative factors that determine the hydrochemical quality of well water samples, silicate weathering plays a pivotal role with significant input of ions from anthropogenic sources.     

Hydrochemical characterization and suitability assessment of groundwater in Baga–Calangute stretch of Goa,India

The present study is the first attempt to determine the suitability of groundwater for drinking and irrigation in the Baga–Calangute stretch of Goa. The suitability of groundwater for potable use was assessed by comparing observed values against standards prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards, and the quality was classified based on the Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index. Most of the groundwater samples (90%) were found to be suitable for drinking except for hardness, chlorides, and nitrates. The percent sodium (%Na), residual sodium carbonate, soluble sodium percentage, sodium adsorption ratio, Kelly’s ratio, and Permeability Index were found to be within the prescribed limits for irrigation purposes. The major mechanism controlling groundwater chemistry, i.e., rock–water interaction, was also studied, and it was found that silicate weathering plays a major role in the dissolution of minerals. Based on the hydrochemical characterization, the water was observed to be of the Ca–Na–SO₄ composition type except for one sample which was of the Na–Cl composition type. Classification of the meteoric genesis suggested that the groundwater in surficial aquifers in the region had a deep meteoric percolation, and its chemistry is regulated by rock–water interaction.     

Assessment of groundwater quality for drinking and irrigation purposes using hydrochemical studies in Nalbari district of Assam,India

The present work was carried out in Nalbari district of Assam (India) with an objective to assess the quality of groundwater and to check its suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes. Groundwater samples were collected from 50 different locations during pre- and post-monsoon seasons of 2016. Results of chemical analysis revealed that mean concentration of cations varied in the order Ca²⁺?>?Na⁺?>?Mg²⁺?>?K⁺, while for anions the order was HCO₃ ^??>?Cl^??>?SO₄^2??>?NO₃^2??>?F^? during both pre- and post-monsoon seasons. The suitability of groundwater samples for drinking purpose was assessed by comparing the results of physico-chemical analysis of groundwater with Indian Standards. Further, its suitability for irrigation purpose was assessed by evaluating several parameters like sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), sodium percentage (Na%), magnesium ratio, Kelly’s ratio and residual sodium carbonate (RSC). The SAR values obtained for all the samples were plotted against EC values in the US Salinity Laboratory diagram, and it was revealed that the most of the samples fall under water type C2-S1 indicating medium salinity and low SAR. Further, it was found that the majority of the samples belong to Ca–Mg–HCO₃ hydrochemical facies followed by Ca–Mg–Cl–SO₄, whereas only a few samples belong to Na–K–HCO₃ hydrochemical facies.