Tracking ground water quality changes in Wadi El-Assiuti, Assiut, Egypt

Abstract

ABSTRACT Wadi El-Assiuti, a valley in Assiut governorate, Egypt, is the only irrigation source in this area. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the groundwater quality parameters in this valley. Thus, the physiochemical quality parameters, such as sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), magnesium adsorption ratio (MAR), sodium percentage (Na%), soluble sodium percentage (SSP), Kelly ratio (KR), potential salinity (PS), Water Quality Index (WQI), and Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI), were examined. The results revealed that groundwater, in general, was highly saline. Each of the physical and chemical parameters started with high values, but due to continuing groundwater use for years, they decreased and then increased again in 2019. The water quality parameters behave the same way as the physical and chemical parameters such as SAR but do not exceed 15.92, MAR: raised more than 50% in both periods, Na%: from 51.85 to 54.74% (with a maximum value of 65.46% in 2013) and from 54.74 to 80.52% in the period 2012–2014 and 2016–2020, respectively, SSP: rose more than 60% in both periods but reached 80.02% in 2020, KR: they rose more than 1 in both periods but reached 4 in 2020, PS: raised more than 3 meq/L in both periods but also reached 50.45 meq/L in 2020, WQI: rose more than 100 in both periods, and IWQI: rising more than 100.