Assessment of water quality of Garmat Ali river for irrigation purposes

Abstract

This study investigates the suitability of Garmat Ali river (Iraq) for irrigation uses. Two stations were chosen: station A; far from any polluted water discharge point, and station C; near to a very contaminated water discharge point). Water samples were picked up and tested for pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, sulfate, chlorine, and nitrate. Three samples were collected in January and March 2019 from each site, to reflect the wet season in Iraq. Besides the classification of water quality parameters of Garmat Ali river for watering, other parameters were also calculated, such as sodium adsorption ratio, soluble sodium percentage, exchangeable sodium percentage, magnesium hazard, kelly ratio, permeability index, and potential salinity. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) guidelines, the overall results showed that the salinity and chlorine were within the range that causing severe problem to plants. In addition, sodium toxicity and hazard were classified the river water as unsuitable for irrigation. Potential salinity was under the class of unsuitable for irrigation. Bicarbonate hazard was under the category “slight to moderate”. However, the remaining parameters were within the accepted range. Most of the contaminants were higher in the polluted station.