Water quality assessment and hydrogeochemical characterization of the Ouargla complex terminal aquifer (Algerian Sahara)

Groundwater is vital for all living beings and the socio-economic development of arid regions. The present study evaluated the pertinence of groundwater of the continental intercalary (CI) aquifer in the Ouargla region for domestic and agricultural purposes. Sixteen (16) water samples were collected and analyzed for physical parameters, major cations and anions. The appreciation of groundwater potability was compared with the WHO (2017) standards. Agricultural water quality was evaluated using the Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI) method and the study of irrigation parameters: EC, SAR, SSP, PI, KR, PS and MAR. The results show that the CI waters are dominated by mixed Ca-Mg-Cl type (56.3%) and Ca-Cl type (43.7%). Natural rock-water interactions, including silicate weathering, evaporite dissolution and cation exchange, were the dominant processes controlling the mineralization of CI waters. According to WHO (2017), EC (100%), T (100%), TDS (100%), Na + (87.5%), K + (100%), Ca 2+ (12.5%), Mg 2+ (18.75%), SO 4 2-(100%), and TH (100%), samples exceed the permissible limit, indicating that most of the groundwater samples do not have good quality for drinking purposes. The calculated IWQI showed that 31.25% of the water samples were in the good category and 68.75% in the doubtful category.

Section: Weathering Of Evaporitesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Geological and Hydrogeological Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geochemistry and Water Quality Assessment of Continental Intercalary Aquifer in Ouargla Region (Sahara, Algeria)

Boussaada¹,

Bouselsal²,

Benhamida³

et al. 2023

“…Equation 2 is used to calculate this parameter. Sodium influences the physicochemical properties of the soil and can also significantly affect the infiltration processes by reducing the permeability of the soil (Kharroubi et al 2022). When the concentration of Na + is very high, the soil becomes compact and hard.…”

Section: Water Quality For Irrigationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater Quality Assessment of Hassi Messaoud Region (Algerian Sahara)

Touahri¹,

Belksier²,

Bouselsal³

et al. 2022

Self Cite

In the Hassi Messaoud region, is groundwater the only source of water to meet daily demands, especially for consumption, domestic needs, industry and irrigation. This study focused on the evaluation of groundwater quality for potability and irrigation supply and the understanding of mineralization processes in the Mio-Pliocene (CTM), Senonian (CTS) and continental intercalary (CI) aquifers. For this study, 38 boreholes were sampled and analyzed for different parameters: pH, EC, TDS and major ions. The assessment of the relevance of groundwater in the study area was tested by the application of the water quality index (WQI) method. The suitability of the water for agricultural use was tested using the parameters of; EC, SAR, Na%, KR, PI and MH. The results illustrate that the groundwater in the study area is grouped into three classes: poor, very poor and unsuitable. Regarding groundwater use in irrigation, the results indicate that the waters of Hassi Messaoud are unsuitable for irrigation according on the EC and Wilcox diagram. The groundwater of the investigated area presents two types of water; Ca-Mg-HCO 3 and Ca-Mg-HCO 3 . The study of the mineralization process of water using the Gibbs diagram and binary diagrams and the indices of saturation showed that the mineralization of water is controlled by the dissolution of evaporites and carbonates, silicate weathering and cation exchange. The participation of anthropic contributions is also noted in the Mio-Pliocene aquifer.

“…These are electrical conductivity (EC), sodium percentage (Na%), sodium, adsorption ratio (SAR), permeability index (PI), Kelly ratio (KR), and magnesium ratio (MR). These irrigation factors are estimated using the following formulas (Kebili et al, 2021;Kharroubi et al, 2022):…”

Section: Statistical Analysis and Assessment Of Water Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater Geochemical and Quality of the Continental Intercalary Aquifer in Béni Ounif (Southwest Algeria)

Abdellah¹,

Bouselsal²,

Aziez³

et al. 2022

The main objective of this work was to study the status of groundwater quality for drinking and irrigation uses in the locality of Beni Ounif. A total of 16 samples were taken at different locations in the study area from boreholes to capture the continental intercalary (CI) aquifer for physicochemical analysis. This work used the groundwater quality index (GWQI) method to evaluate water potability. The irrigation water quality was assessed by studying EC, SAR, Na%, KR, PI, and MR parameters. In addition, the mechanisms of mineralization of these waters were highlighted by the study of Piper, Gibbs, bivariate diagrams, and the calculation of saturation indices. The results show that the CI waters would have chemical constituents in accordance with the WHO guide values and the Algerian guide values for drinking water. The GWQI method showed a good quality of CI waters for consumption in the study area. On based the irrigation water parameters, the IC water samples are acceptable for irrigation provided that drainage techniques are applied to the cultivated land for tipsy soil salinization. In addition, the study of Piper, Gibbs, bivariate, and mineral saturation diagrams shows that the CI waters of the study area are of Ca-Mg-SO 4 -Cl type, and the hydrogeochemical processes that control their mineralization are complex, namely, the alteration of silicate and carbonate minerals, the dissolution of gypsum and exchange ion.