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Hydrochemistry and quality assessment of qanat water compared to wells using laboratory studies and literature review (case study of Samalghan plain, North Khorasan, Iran)

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Abstract

The development of civilizations and human societies has been dependent on water. Without the qanats, many human settlements could not be built, and the qanat is still a major source, and in some cases, the only source of agricultural and potable water supply in many parts of world. However, in densely populated areas, the qanat has lost its importance as a valuable source of water and has been replaced by the well. This study set out to compare the utility of using the qanats and deep wells through the library and laboratory studies. A total of 26 samples were collected and analyzed for: pH, Chlorides (Cl−), Electrical Conductivity (EC) and Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR). Also, 40 soil sample were taken from the farms irrigated with qanat and well water and analyzed for the EC, SAR, pH, lime percentage and soluble sodium and exchangeable sodium. An area outside the study area was selected and surveyed as the control area with the same conditions as the well and qanat tailwater. The samples were transferred to the Atomic Absorption Laboratory of Yazd University of Natural Resources. The results of soil samples showed that the lime percentage in qanat water-irrigated soil sample was higher than well water-irrigated soils, whereas there were no significant differences in other quality indexes between the irrigation with qanat and the deep well water. Finally in the taken water samples the EC, Cl−, SAR values of the qanat water were lower than the well water but the pH values of the qanat water was slightly higher than the well water. With regard to the high amount of water loss in the world, the studies on finding the most optimal way to use this vital agent are very important.

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  1. Environmental Science Graduate of School of Natural Resources and Desert Studies Department of Environmental Science, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

    Abdulmannan Rouhani

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Rouhani, A. Hydrochemistry and quality assessment of qanat water compared to wells using laboratory studies and literature review (case study of Samalghan plain, North Khorasan, Iran). Model. Earth Syst. Environ. 7, 389–401 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-020-01014-2

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