Factors Controlling the Spatial Distribution and Temporal Trend of Nationwide Groundwater Quality in Korea

Chang-Seong Kim, Maimoona Raza, Jin-Yong Lee, Heejung Kim, Chanhyeok Jeon, Bora Kim, Jeong-Woo Kim and Rak-Hyeon Kim
Additional contact information
Chang-Seong Kim: Department of Geology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
Maimoona Raza: Department of Geology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
Jin-Yong Lee: Department of Geology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
Heejung Kim: Department of Geology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
Chanhyeok Jeon: Department of Geology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
Bora Kim: GeoGreen21 Co., Ltd., Seoul 08376, Korea
Jeong-Woo Kim: GeoGreen21 Co., Ltd., Seoul 08376, Korea
Rak-Hyeon Kim: Korea Environment Corporation, Incheon 22689, Korea

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 23, 1-18

Abstract: Factors controlling the spatial distribution and temporal trend of groundwater quality at a national scale are important to investigate for sustaining livelihood and ecological balance. This study evaluated groundwater quality data for 12 parameters (n = 6405 for each parameter), collected from 97 groundwater monitoring stations (=289 monitoring wells) for ten years. Spatial distribution of groundwater quality parameters varied through the regional scale. Six parameters: T, EC, Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , HCO 3 − , and Cl − were having dominant increasing trend, remaining pH, Eh, Na + , K + , SO 4 2− , and NO 3 − showed a dominant decreasing trend over time. Among land use types, the upland fields had the highest mean of groundwater NO 3 − (22.2 mg/L), confirming plenty of application of fertilizers (5–10 kg/ a more than standard) to upland fields. Means of groundwater Cl − and Na + (705.3 and 298.4 mg/L, respectively) in the residential areas are greater than those in other land use types by 408–685.9, 154.3–274.2 mg/L, respectively. Agricultural activities were the main controlling factor of groundwater NO 3 − contamination in rural areas, domestic activities were responsible for groundwater Cl − and Na + in urban areas, and seawater intrusion was controlling groundwater Cl − in coastal areas (within 10 km from sea). Groundwater hydrochemistry was controlled by the mechanism of geogenic rock and evaporation dominance. The rock dominance mechanism indicated that groundwater was interacting with rocks and resulted in groundwater chemistry. The findings of this study showed that groundwater was mainly contaminated by anthropogenic factors in some rural and residential areas. Effective measures by government authorities are needed to improve the groundwater quality.

Keywords: groundwater quality; spatial distribution; temporal trend; agricultural activities; domestic sewage; seawater intrusion; hydrochemical mechanism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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