Groundwater QualityAssessment for Irrigation Using Indexing Approach for The Limestone Aquifer in Eastern Nile Valley, Egypt

Document Type : Original scientific articles

Authors

Environmental Studies and Research Institute, University of Sadat City

Abstract

Abstract
    
     In arid regions, groundwater is regarded as the primary supply of freshwater and is a valuable natural resource. Groundwater quality in the Limestone aquifer was evaluated using integrated physicochemical criteria under sustainable development guidelines. Forty ground water points were sampled from the fractured limestone aquifer in the investigated region during the summer of 2021. According to their physicochemical qualities, the main ion concentrations were derived in the following order: Cl-> SO42->HCO3->CO32- and Na+> Ca2+> Mg2+> K+.The Na-SO4 and Na-Cl water types were the two kinds of groundwater present in the Eocene aquifer.The irrigation water quality index (IWQI) found that about 82.5% of groundwater samples had high restrictions (HR), which should be utilized for irrigation of plants with moderate to high salt tolerance with specific salinity management procedures. In addition, approximately 2.5% of samples were moderate restriction (MR), approximately 7.5% of samples were low restriction, and about 7.5% of samples had no restrictions (NR) on irrigation and most plants may be used for irrigation without running the risk of toxicity.The IWQI results should be utilized for irrigation of plants with moderate to high tolerance to salts with special salinity control practice.
 
 
 

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