Hydrogeochemical Quality of Groundwater used for Irrigation in Ziban Region, Algeria

Abstract

The present study focuses on the hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater in order to assess their irrigation suitability. The samples collected from 28 boreholes intended for irrigation chosen from two localities (El Outaya and Ain Naga) in the Ziban region (Algeria), were analyzed for nine different physicochemical water quality parameters (which include EC, pH, Ca2+, Mg2+ , Na+, K+, Cl-, SO42-and HCO3-). The laboratory results indicate that most of the groundwater samples of the both locations show high value of EC which exceed as per FAO Standards. The classification of hydrochemical facies by Piper diagram shows dominance of chloride and calcium sulfate (CaSO4) and magnesium groundwater type (in Ain Naga) and potassium chloride water type (in El Outaya). The majority of groundwater samples analyzed of the both location are unsuitable for irrigation purpose according to the interpretation of graphical plots such as Wilcox and US Salinity Laboratory for the classification of groundwater. In Ain Naga location, the better class of water quality is C3S1 with only 14.28%.The rest is unsuitable for irrigation C4S1 (71.42%) and C4S2 (14.28%). However, all groundwater samples analyzed of El Outaya location are unsuitable for irrigation with C4S2 (28.57%), C4S3 (28.57%) and C5S3 (42.85%).

Keywords

• groundwater,,
• ,،,؛hydrogeochemical,,
• ,،,؛quality,,
• ,،,؛irrigation suitability,,
• ,،,؛ziban