Geostatistical Analysis and Delineation of Groundwater Potential Zones for Their Implications in Irrigated Agriculture of Punjab Pakistan

Aamir Shakoor, Imran Rasheed, Muhammad Nouman Sattar, Akinwale T. Ogunrinde, Sabab Ali Shah (), Hafiz Umar Farid, Hareef Ahmed Keerio, Asim Qayyum Butt, Amjad Ali Khan and Malik Sarmad Riaz
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Aamir Shakoor: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
Imran Rasheed: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
Muhammad Nouman Sattar: Department of Civil Engineering, National University of Technology (NUTECH), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Akinwale T. Ogunrinde: Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Sabab Ali Shah: Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Hafiz Umar Farid: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
Hareef Ahmed Keerio: Biofuels Institute, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212000, China
Asim Qayyum Butt: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Amjad Ali Khan: Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Malik Sarmad Riaz: Department of Civil Engineering, National University of Technology (NUTECH), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan

World, 2025, vol. 6, issue 3, 1-21

Abstract: Groundwater is essential for irrigated agriculture, yet its use remains unsustainable in many regions worldwide. In countries like Pakistan, the situation is particularly pressing. The irrigated agriculture of Pakistan heavily relies on groundwater resources owing to limited canal-water availability. The groundwater quality in the region ranges from good to poor, with the lower-quality water adversely affecting soil structure and plant health, leading to reduced agricultural productivity. The delineation of quality zones with respect to irrigation parameters is thus crucial for optimizing its sustainable use and management. Therefore, this research study was carried out in the Lower Chenab Canal (LCC) irrigation system to assess the spatial distribution of groundwater quality. The geostatistical analysis was conducted using Gamma Design Software (GS+) and the Kriging interpolation method was applied within a Geographic Information System (GIS) framework to generate groundwater-quality maps. Semivariogram models were evaluated for major irrigation parameters such as electrical conductivity (EC), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) to identify the best fit for various Ordinary Kriging models. The spherical semivariogram model was the best fit for EC, while the exponential model best suited SAR and RSC. Overlay analysis was performed to produce combined water-quality maps. During the pre-monsoon season, 17.83% of the LCC area demonstrated good irrigation quality, while 42.84% showed marginal quality, and 39.33% was deemed unsuitable for irrigation. In the post-monsoon season, 17.30% of the area had good irrigation quality, 44.53% exhibited marginal quality, and 38.17% was unsuitable for irrigation. The study revealed that Electrical Conductivity (EC) was the primary factor affecting water quality, contributing to 71% of marginal and unsuitable conditions. In comparison, the Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) accounted for 38% and Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC) contributed 45%. Therefore, it is recommended that groundwater in unsuitable zones be subjected to artificial recharge methods and salt-tolerated crops to enhance its suitability for agricultural applications.

Keywords: agriculture; geostatistics; groundwater; Kriging; GIS; semivariogram; Gamma Design Software (GS+) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G15 G17 G18 L21 L22 L25 L26 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 R51 R52 R58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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