Classification Maps for TDS Concentrations in the GIS Along Euphrates River, Iraq

Abstract

Iraq currently undergoing the problem of water shortage, although Iraq has two Rivers (Euphrates and Tigris) pass throughout most of its areas, and they have represented a major source of water supply. In the current research, to evaluate the quality of the Euphrates river in Iraq based on the values of total dissolved salts (TDS), the TDS concentrations were collected from sixteen sections along the river in the three succeeding years (2011, 2012, and 2013). The evaluation of the river was done depending on the classification of (W.H.O. (World Health Organization). (2003). Total Dissolved Salts in Drinking-water: Background document for development of W.H.O. Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality. World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland). of rivers for drinking uses. Inverse Distance Weighting Technique (IDWT) as a tool in the GIS was employed to establish the maps of the river that using interpolation/prediction for the TDS concentrations to each selected year and the average values of TDS for these 3 years. Based on the five categories of rivers’ classification of the TDS concentrations according to the (W.H.O. (World Health Organization). (2003). Total Dissolved Salts in Drinking-water: Background document for development of W.H.O. Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality. World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland), the Euphrates river was classified, and the maps of classification for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013 and the average values for 3 years were created. The average values for 3 years of TDS along the Euphrates river indicated that the sections from SC-1 to SC-4 as moderate-water-quality-Category-3, the sections from SC-5 to SC-10 as poor-water-quality-Category-4, while the sections between SC-11 to SC-16 as very poor-water-quality-Category-5. The interpolation maps showed that the Euphrates river in Iraq was ranged from moderate water quality (Category-3) to very poor water quality (Category-5).

Application of QUAL2K for Water Quality Modeling and Management for the Euphrates River in Fallujah City as a Case Study

“…The Euphrates River Basin covers about 440,000 km 2 , with 22 percent in Syria, 28 percent in Turkey, and 47 percent in Iraq. Five dams were built on the Euphrates River in Turkey (Karkamis dam, Birecik dam, Karakaya dam, Keban dam, and Ataturk dam), three in Syria (Tabba dam, Tishreen dam, and Al Baath dam), and Haditha-Dam in Iraq [24][25][26]. The Euphrates river enters Iraqi territory from Al-Qaim city (west Anbar) and flows through the Anbar governorate, crossing the Syrian border.…”

Assessment of Some Water Quality Parameters in the Storm Sewer Network at Ramadi City, Iraq

“…The contamination of the Euphrates River was the primary focus of the researches conducted in Iraq. research studied temporal and geographical variations in Euphrates River Water Quality Index in Anbar Governorate [13]. A search for TDS concentrations during three years (2011, 2012, and 2013) and 3-year average values along the Euphrates River in Iraq [14].…”