Assessment of Groundwater Suitability for Agricultural Purposes: A Case Study of South Oued Righ Region, Algeria

Abdelaziz Kadri, Kais Baouia, Samir Kateb, Nadhir Al-Ansari, Saber Kouadri, Hadee Mohammed Najm, Nuha S. Mashaan, Moutaz Mustafa A. Eldirderi and Khaled Mohamed Khedher
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Abdelaziz Kadri: Laboratory of Water and Environment Engineering in Saharan Environment, University of Ouargla, PB 147 RP, Ouargla 30000, Algeria
Kais Baouia: Laboratory of Water and Environment Engineering in Saharan Environment, University of Ouargla, PB 147 RP, Ouargla 30000, Algeria
Samir Kateb: Research Laboratory in Exploitation and Development of Natural Resources in Arid Zones, University of Kasdi Merbah−Ouargla, PB 147 RP, Ouargla 30000, Algeria
Nadhir Al-Ansari: Department of Civil Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Lulea University of Technology, 97187 Lulea, Sweden
Saber Kouadri: Laboratory of Water and Environment Engineering in Saharan Environment, University of Ouargla, PB 147 RP, Ouargla 30000, Algeria
Hadee Mohammed Najm: Department of Civil Engineering, Zakir Husain Engineering College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India
Nuha S. Mashaan: Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
Moutaz Mustafa A. Eldirderi: Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia
Khaled Mohamed Khedher: Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 14, 1-18

Abstract: Groundwater in the Touggourt region—or as its named, Oued Righ—in southeastern Algeria, is the only source of irrigation. To assess its suitability for agricultural purposes, we collected 72 samples from wells at this region, physical and chemical measurements were carried out for each water sample, and calculations of the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), permeability index (PI), soluble sodium percent (SSP), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), magnesium hazard ratio (MHR) and Kelley’s ratio (KR) were carried out, as these indices are often used to assess the suitability of groundwater for irrigation uses. Based on the irrigation water quality index (IWQI) values, a spatial distribution map for each parameter using the inverse interpolation technique (IDW) was produced by Geographical Information System (GIS). According to the IWQI map, about 35% of the water samples analyzed fall into the Severe Restriction category (SR), making it unsuitable for irrigation under normal circumstance. Again, the remaining 65% of the groundwater has a high restriction (HR) for use. Groundwater in the study area could be used for irrigation in highly permeable soils where salt-tolerant crops are grown. Adequate drainage and continuous monitoring of water quality are recommended.

Keywords: groundwater; Oued Righ region; sodium adsorption ratio; irrigation water quality index (IWQI); GIS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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