Groundwater quality assessment for irrigation use in the Godavari Delta region of east coast India using IRWQI and GIS

The present work was carried out in the deltaic region of the river Godavari in coastal Andhra Pradesh of southern India to evaluate the status of groundwater quality for irrigation. Groundwater is predominantly used in these productive agricultural fields. Saline water intrusion in fresh groundwate...

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Main Authors: K. Nageswara Rao, P. Swarna Latha, P.V. Ramesh Kumar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IWA Publishing 2022-03-01
Series:Water Supply
Subjects:
Online Access:http://ws.iwaponline.com/content/22/3/2612
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author K. Nageswara Rao
P. Swarna Latha
P.V. Ramesh Kumar
author_facet K. Nageswara Rao
P. Swarna Latha
P.V. Ramesh Kumar
author_sort K. Nageswara Rao
collection DOAJ
description The present work was carried out in the deltaic region of the river Godavari in coastal Andhra Pradesh of southern India to evaluate the status of groundwater quality for irrigation. Groundwater is predominantly used in these productive agricultural fields. Saline water intrusion in fresh groundwater aquifers, which is mainly due to the excess withdrawal of groundwater, was recorded in the study area. A total of 80 groundwater samples were analyzed for physical and chemical parameters using standard chemical procedures. The groundwater mainly represents Na+–Cl− type, which shows the mixing of fresh water with saline water. The high correlation between Na+–Cl− and Mg2+–HCO3− explained that the intermixing of aquifer waters and the leaching of secondary salts influenced the region. Evaporation-fractional crystallizations are the main processes in the groundwater of the study area. The irrigation water quality index was calculated using different quality indices including Na%, sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium bicarbonate (RSBC), permeability index (PI), magnesium hazard (MH), Kelly's ratio (KR), and potential salinity (PS), Cl−:HCO3−, Mg2+:Ca2+ and Na+:Ca2+ to estimate the suitability of groundwater quality for irrigation. Spatial distribution maps were prepared using raster interpolation in GIS. The assessment revealed that the areas covering 67.6% of electrical conductivity, 100% of total dissolved solids, 57.5% of Na%, 21.3% of RSBC, 66.3% of PI, 16.3% of MH, 65% of KR, and, 100% of PS required severe to moderate restrictions. Overall, the groundwater in the study region showed potential salinity due to geogenic and anthropogenic activities, and thus it must be monitored for sustainable agriculture. HIGHLIGHTS Geochemical evaluation of groundwater explains that evaporation is the main controlling factor of geochemistry along with rock dominance. The irrigation water quality index (IRWQI) was calculated using different quality indices to estimate groundwater quality for irrigated waters.; The calculated indices were found to be in the moderate to unsuitable category of groundwater for irrigation.;
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spelling doaj.art-4033d1ac49da44509190363a8ac84a532022-12-22T02:23:30ZengIWA PublishingWater Supply1606-97491607-07982022-03-012232612262910.2166/ws.2021.454454Groundwater quality assessment for irrigation use in the Godavari Delta region of east coast India using IRWQI and GISK. Nageswara Rao0P. Swarna Latha1P.V. Ramesh Kumar2 Discipline of Geography, School of Sciences, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Maidangarhi, New Delhi 110068, India Department of Geography, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam 530003, Andhra Pradesh, India Government of Andhra Pradesh, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India The present work was carried out in the deltaic region of the river Godavari in coastal Andhra Pradesh of southern India to evaluate the status of groundwater quality for irrigation. Groundwater is predominantly used in these productive agricultural fields. Saline water intrusion in fresh groundwater aquifers, which is mainly due to the excess withdrawal of groundwater, was recorded in the study area. A total of 80 groundwater samples were analyzed for physical and chemical parameters using standard chemical procedures. The groundwater mainly represents Na+–Cl− type, which shows the mixing of fresh water with saline water. The high correlation between Na+–Cl− and Mg2+–HCO3− explained that the intermixing of aquifer waters and the leaching of secondary salts influenced the region. Evaporation-fractional crystallizations are the main processes in the groundwater of the study area. The irrigation water quality index was calculated using different quality indices including Na%, sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium bicarbonate (RSBC), permeability index (PI), magnesium hazard (MH), Kelly's ratio (KR), and potential salinity (PS), Cl−:HCO3−, Mg2+:Ca2+ and Na+:Ca2+ to estimate the suitability of groundwater quality for irrigation. Spatial distribution maps were prepared using raster interpolation in GIS. The assessment revealed that the areas covering 67.6% of electrical conductivity, 100% of total dissolved solids, 57.5% of Na%, 21.3% of RSBC, 66.3% of PI, 16.3% of MH, 65% of KR, and, 100% of PS required severe to moderate restrictions. Overall, the groundwater in the study region showed potential salinity due to geogenic and anthropogenic activities, and thus it must be monitored for sustainable agriculture. HIGHLIGHTS Geochemical evaluation of groundwater explains that evaporation is the main controlling factor of geochemistry along with rock dominance. The irrigation water quality index (IRWQI) was calculated using different quality indices to estimate groundwater quality for irrigated waters.; The calculated indices were found to be in the moderate to unsuitable category of groundwater for irrigation.;http://ws.iwaponline.com/content/22/3/2612gisgodavari deltagroundwaterirrigationirwqiwater quality indices
spellingShingle K. Nageswara Rao
P. Swarna Latha
P.V. Ramesh Kumar
Groundwater quality assessment for irrigation use in the Godavari Delta region of east coast India using IRWQI and GIS
Water Supply
gis
godavari delta
groundwater
irrigation
irwqi
water quality indices
title Groundwater quality assessment for irrigation use in the Godavari Delta region of east coast India using IRWQI and GIS
title_full Groundwater quality assessment for irrigation use in the Godavari Delta region of east coast India using IRWQI and GIS
title_fullStr Groundwater quality assessment for irrigation use in the Godavari Delta region of east coast India using IRWQI and GIS
title_full_unstemmed Groundwater quality assessment for irrigation use in the Godavari Delta region of east coast India using IRWQI and GIS
title_short Groundwater quality assessment for irrigation use in the Godavari Delta region of east coast India using IRWQI and GIS
title_sort groundwater quality assessment for irrigation use in the godavari delta region of east coast india using irwqi and gis
topic gis
godavari delta
groundwater
irrigation
irwqi
water quality indices
url http://ws.iwaponline.com/content/22/3/2612
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AT pswarnalatha groundwaterqualityassessmentforirrigationuseinthegodavarideltaregionofeastcoastindiausingirwqiandgis
AT pvrameshkumar groundwaterqualityassessmentforirrigationuseinthegodavarideltaregionofeastcoastindiausingirwqiandgis