Investigation of spatial and temporal variations of salinity in Gorganrud River of Golestan Province
Subject Areas : Research PaperMojtaba Ghareh Mahmoodlu 1 * , Mohammad Gholizadeh 2 , Jamileh Panahy Mirzahasanlou 3 , Tara Sotoudehnia 4
1 - Associate Prof. of Water Engineering and Watershed Management Department, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gonbad Kavous University, Gonbad Kavous, Iran
2 - Associate Prof. of Fisheries Department, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gonbad Kavous University, Gonbad Kavous, Iran
3 - Assistant Prof. of Biology Department, Faculty of Basic Sciences and Engineering, Gonbad Kavous University, Gonbad Kavous, Iran
4 - Master's student in Water Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gonbad Kavous University, Gonbad Kavous, Iran
Keywords: Agriculture, Water well, Conflict management,
Abstract :
Introduction: Salinity is one of the parameters determining water quality in drinking and especially irrigation sectors. Hence, the present study was conducted to investigate the spatial and temporal changes Cl- as a parameter affecting salinity along the Gorganrud River in Golestan Province.
Methods: First, data related to quality parameters along with discharge from 7 hydrometric stations of the Gorganrud River were collected from the Golestan Regional Water Authority. After investigating the spatial and temporal changes in Cl- from the upstream of the Gorganrud River to the river mouth, river water was classified based on Cl- concentration. Then, spatial and temporal changes in the degree of saltwater contamination were investigated using Simpson and sodium to chloride ratios. Determining the factors controlling water chemistry along with spatial and temporal changes in the hydrochemical type and facies of the Gorganrud River was carried out using Gibbs diagrams, bivariate, Stiff, Piper, Durov and HFE diagrams.
Findings: Results showed that with an increase in the concentration of Cl- along the river course, the water quality changes from fresh to brackish. Also, the spatial and temporal changes in chlorine ions have an inverse relationship with the river discharge at each station. Based on the Simpson ratio and the HFE diagram, only two stations, Lazoreh and Ejen-Qaresu, have not been polluted with salt water from different sources. However, in the rest of the stations, salt water has penetrated into the Gorganrud River to different degrees. According to the hydrogeochemical diagrams, the main factor controlling the water chemistry at the two stations, Lazoreh and Ejen-Qaresu, is the weathering of reservoir rocks and silicate minerals along with the dissolution of limestone rocks at the surface of the Gorganrud River basin. However, as the river flows over the plain, the intrusion of saline water from shallow subsurface layers, evaporation, and sedimentation also cause changes in the chemistry of the river water. Results also revealed that two processes of direct ion exchange and reverse ion exchange occur in the Gorganrud River. Results of hydrogeochemical diagrams showed that the water type in the upstream of the Gorganrud River starts from calcium bicarbonate and fresh facies and ends at the river mouth with sodium chloride type and saline facies. The trend of facies variations indicates the hydrogeochemical evolution and deterioration of the quality of the Gorganroud River water.
1. Mousavi M, Rostami N, Karimi H. Evaluation of the river salinity changes using hydrochemical method in arid area (Case Study: Namaklan River, Ilam). Journal of Geography and Environmental Sustainability. 2018; 8(26): 45-56. [In Persian]
2. Eilbeigy M, Jamour R. Investigating the factors affecting the salinity of the Ghezelozan River water. Environment and Water Engineering. 2019; 5(2): 125-136.
3. Karimi H, Rostamizad G, Hosseini A, Moghadasifar S, Karimi A. Factors affecting the salinity and EC of the Meymeh River and curative solutions. The Journal of Iran-Water Resources Research. 2019;15(3): 348-353.
4. Xu H, Zheng H, Chen X, Ren Y, Ouyang Z. Relationships between river water quality and landscape factors in Haihe River Basin. China: Implications for environmental management. Chinese Geographical Science; 2016. 26(2):197-207.
5. Komasi M, Sharghi S. Surface water quality assessment and prioritize the factors pollute this water using Topsis Fuzzy Hierarchical analysis. Journal of Environmental Health Engineering; 4(2):174-184. [In Persian]
6. Rahimian mh, Gholami h. An analysis of the salinity status of water resources in use in the agricultural sector. Journal of Water and Sustainable Development. 2022; 9(3): 107-116. [In Persian]
7. Qadir M, Qureshi AS, Cheraghi SAM. Extent and characterisation of salt‐affected soils in Iran and strategies for their amelioration and management. Land Degradation & Development, 2008; 19(2): 214-227.
8. Rashidi M, Hosseini A. Examining the hydro-geochemical quality and origin of water ions in the Qolyan River of the Qalikuh Region in Lorestan Province, Iran. Hydrogeology. 2022; 8(1):114-136. [In Persian]
9. Arekhi S, Yari Baghi H, Emadaddian S. Zoning Flood hazard using GIS (Case study: Gorganrood Watershed). Journal of Quantitative Geomorphological Research. 2021;10(3): 86-110. [In Persian]
10. Azari M, Moradi HR, Saghafian B, Faramarzi M. Assessment of hydrological effects of climate change in gourganroud river basin. Journal of Water and Soil. 2013; 27(3): 537-547.
11. Mahmoodlu MG, Heshmatpour A, Jandaghi N, Zare A, Mehrabi H. Hydrogeochemical assessment of groundwater quality: Seyedan-Farooq Aquifer, Fars Province. Iranian Journal of Echohydrology. 2019; 5(4): 1241-1253. [In Persian]
12. Jackson J. Living with earthquakes: know your faults. Journal of Earthquake Engineering. 2001; 1: 5-123.
13. Soleimangoli H, Mahmoodlu MG, Jandaghi N, Abbasi M. Investigation of Chehel-Chay river and groundwater interaction in the Eastern part of Gorgan Plain. The journal of Hydrogeology. 2024; 8(2): 42-57. [In Persian]
14. Klassen J, Allen DM, Kirste D. Chemical indicators of saltwater intrusion for the Gulf Islands, British Columbia. Final Report, Department of Earth Sciences, Simon Rfaser University. 2014 Jun.
15. Ghezelsofloo, E., Raghimi, M., Mahmoodlu MG, Rahimi‑Chakdel A, Seyed Khademi SM. Saltwater intrusion in drinking water wells of Kordkuy, Iran: an integrated quantitative and graphical study, Environmental Earth Sciences. 2021; 80:520.
16. Todd DK, Mays LW. Groundwater hydrology. John Wiley & Sons; 2004 Aug 6.
17. Bear J, Cheng AH, Sorek S, Ouazar D, Herrera I, editors. Seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers: concepts, methods and practices. Springer Science & Business Media; 1999 Mar 31.
18. Kumar S, Venkatesh AS, Singh R, Udayabhanu G, Saha D. Geochemical signatures and isotopic systematics constraining dynamics of fluoride contamination in groundwater across Jamui district, Indo-Gangetic alluvial plains, India. Chemosphere. 2018; 205:493-505.
19. Marghade D, Malpe DB, Duraisamy K, Patil PD, Li P. Hydrogeochemical evaluation, suitability, and health risk assessment of groundwater in the watershed of Godavari basin, Maharashtra, Central India. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2021; 28:18471-94.
20. Abu-Alnaeem MF, Yusoff I, Ng TF, Alias Y, Raksmey M. Assessment of groundwater salinity and quality in Gaza coastal aquifer, Gaza Strip, Palestine: An integrated statistical, geostatistical and hydrogeochemical approaches study. Science of the Total Environment. 2018; 615: 972-89.
21. Appelo CA, Postma D. Geochemistry, groundwater and pollution. CRC press; 2004 Jun 24.
22. Ramesh K, Elango L. Groundwater quality and its suitability for domestic and agricultural use in Tondiar river basin, Tamil Nadu, India. Environmental monitoring and assessment. 2012;184:3887-99.
23. Sikdar PK, Sarkar SS, Palchoudhury S. Geochemical evolution of groundwater in the Quaternary aquifer of Calcutta and Howrah, India. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences. 2001;19(5): 579-94.
24. Giménez‐Forcada E.. Dynamic of sea water interface using hydrochemical facies evolution diagram. Groundwater, 2010; 48(2): 212-216.