The Impact Of Excessive Irrigation Water And
Fertilizers On The Environment And Groundwater
Quality In Arid Regions
Author(s)
H. M. Al-Ghobari
Abstract
The main source of water in the Najran region is the unconfined shallow aquifer
along the Najran Wadi (valley). Ground water quality of the Najran region was
studied in 43 well water samples collected from different wells in the region.
Water samples were chemically analyzed and evaluated using water quality
criteria. The investigated water quality parameters revealed the following: water
salinity (ECw dS m-1) ranged from 0.35 to 5.99 dS m-1 (i.e. 227 to 3843 meq/l)
with an average of 1.95 dS m-1 (i.e.1248 meq/l), pH value ranged from 7.28–7.80
with an average of 7.55. The dominant cation was Ca followed by Na, Mg and K
while Cl was the dominant anion followed by HCO-3 with an average of 432.4
and 180.2 meq/l, respectively. The suitability of this water for irrigation was
slight to moderate saline water.
Also, \“48.8%” of the water had salinity above the recommended level for
drinking water. The values of adjusted sodium adsorption ratio (adj. SAR) and
residual sodium carbonate (RSC) were in the range of 0.53 to 17.22 and –1.69 to
–41.85 with an average of 4.17 and –12.94 meq/l, respectively. These results
indicated no expected problems with either sodium or permeability from most of
the studied wells. Concentration of (NO3-N) ranged from 0.30 to 33.1 meq/l with
an average of 9.48 meq/l. All the tested samples have (NO3-N) concentrations
lower than the recommended level for drinking water.
Also, it was found that in the Najran region a large fraction of farms (more
than 35%) which have been equipped with tube wells and irrigation systems
have abandoned business and farming as a result of groundwater depletion, this
is because the annual groundwater discharge far exceeds the recharge. The
excessive extraction of groundwater resources have caused that water for human
Keywords
groundwater, water quality, extraction, environment, Najran
Related Book
Other papers in this volume
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