Water Harvesting Research (Mar 2025)
Evaluating Groundwater Quality to Determine the Feasibility of Modern Irrigation Techniques (Case Study: Bam-Narmashir Plain)
Abstract
Groundwater in the Bam-Narmashir plain serves as a crucial water source for various purposes, including agriculture, drinking, and industry. Today, advancements in irrigation science have led to the development of new methods to enhance irrigation efficiency. In the new methods, such as drip irrigation, it is important to examine the EC, the pH level of the water, and the presence of cations and anions, as these factors can contribute to the clogging of drippers. Therefore, understanding the quality of this groundwater and evaluating the feasibility of modern irrigation methods is essential. In this study, the groundwater quality parameters of the region were obtained from 55 wells, and the Langiller index was calculated. Additionally, layers for each parameter were created using the IDW interpolation method through the Spatial Analyst tool in ArcGIS 10.6 Software. The semivariance diagram for 55 wells was made using GS+ software. The semivariance diagram for the pH parameter, which showed a correlation coefficient of 0.913 with the spherical model, was identified as the most suitable model. Following this, all parameters were assessed based on FAO and ISIRI standard values to determine the implementation of drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. The results indicated that 94.54 percent wells had sodium levels exceeding three, 92.72 percent of wells had bicarbonate levels above eight and a half, 16 wells had a pH greater than eight, 78.18 percent of wells had chlorine levels over three, eight wells had water-soluble salts above 2,000, and 69.09 percent of wells had EC between 3 and 8. These findings highlight significant sodium, chlorine, and EC limitations for most of the study area. Given the constraints on groundwater resources in this region, it is important to consider management solutions to preserve and sustain the land.
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