Ghorban Vahabzadeh; Hojat Delavar; Jamshid Ghorbani; Mohammad Reza Ashrafi
Abstract
Abstract
Background and Purpose
Changing the quality of groundwater and increasing salinity of water resources are considered as a major threat for country's agricultural development, especially in arid and semi-arid lands. Preparing counter maps of salinity and salts can be an important step in the ...
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Abstract
Background and Purpose
Changing the quality of groundwater and increasing salinity of water resources are considered as a major threat for country's agricultural development, especially in arid and semi-arid lands. Preparing counter maps of salinity and salts can be an important step in the proper utilization of water resources. This research was carried out in Firoozabad plain in west of Fars province to evaluate the hydrogeochemical processes affecting groundwater quality.
Method
Preparation of the counter maps of the chemical parameters such as Electrical Conductivity (EC), chlorine and their variations along with the counter maps of variation trends of Total Dissolved Solids (TDSs), total hardness and Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) in Firoozabad plain was performed using EC, NO3, TDS and hydrodynamic data of wells measured in East and West of Firoozabad plain. Preparation of similar maps was carried out using Schuler and Wilcox diagrams to produce coincidence lines.
Findings
Based on the maps of the chemical parameters in the studied areas along with variation diagrams and classifications of the data according to Wilcox and Schuler diagrams, the water classification indicated a declined quality of water for agricultural purposes in 2004 and 2011. Based on the obtained results for the drinking water classification, there were generally no significant changes in drinking quality except in 2011.
Conclusion
The amount of chlorine and electrical conductivity parameters in the Firoozabad plain increased from north and northwest to the center and eastern part of the plain and from east to center. Also, the results showed that based on the Schuler diagram from the aspect of drinking quality, the groundwater of this plain was classified into three classes: good, acceptable and moderate. However, in terms of quality for agricultural purposes, it was in C3S1, C1S1, C2S1 C3S2, C3S4 and C3S3 classes in 2011, and in C3S1, C1S1, and C2S1 classes in 2004 (first period). According to Wilcox, the water quality for agricultural purposes was decreased in 2004 and 2010. However, drinking water quality was rather stable except in 1390 which experienced a little bit decrease in quality.