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Risk assessment of groundwater hydrochemistry for irrigation suitability in Ordos Basin, China

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Abstract

Irrigation water quality is of great concerns to the sustainable agriculture and often is neglected in most irrigation areas in Ordos Basin, a semi-arid area in China. In this paper, a hydrochemical investigation of groundwater was performed to highlight the groundwater quality and evaluate its risk/suitability for irrigation purpose in Ordos Basin. Hydrographical method, Piper diagram and PHREEQC geochemical modeling were employed to characterize the groundwater quality and the relevant geochemical processes. Electrical conductivity, sodium percentage (Na%), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), permeability index, magnesium ration (MR) and Kelley’s ration (KR) were used to evaluate the suitability for irrigation purpose. In summary, 86.67% of the area is fresh water (TDS < 1 g/L) with HCO3 type, brackish water (1 g/L < TDS < 3 g/L) with HCO3, SO4, HCO3·Cl, Cl·SO4 type and salt water (TDS > 1 g/L) on the northwest side of the study area with Cl–Ca·Mg·Na type. The distribution of nitrate contents showed that nitrate pollution is a persistent problem that affects a wide area of the aquifer. The calculated Na%, SAR, RSC, MR and KR indicate that most of the groundwater is of acceptable risk for irrigation as well as for domestic usage. The Gibbs plot showed that the hydrochemistry of groundwater samples was mainly influenced by evaporation–precipitation and water rock dominance including carbonate and silicate minerals weathering.

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Acknowledgements

This research was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) with Grant No. 41402202 and Comprehensive Geological Survey of Economic Zones along Huang River in Ningxia Province (Grant No. 121201011000150017). The funding from NSFC with Grant No. 41203014 and Scientific New Star of Shaanxi Province (2016KJXX-92) were also greatly appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People’s Republic of China

    Qingchun Yang & Zijun Li

  2. Geothermal Institute of Hydrological Engineering Geological Survey, Shijiazhuang, 050000, People’s Republic of China

    Chuan Xie

  3. School of Hydropower and Information Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, People’s Republic of China

    Ji Liang

  4. Key Laboratory for Groundwater and Ecology in Arid and Semi-arid Areas, Xi’an Center of Geological Survey, CGS, Xi’an, 710000, People’s Republic of China

    Hongyun Ma

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  1. Qingchun Yang
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  2. Zijun Li
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  3. Chuan Xie
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  4. Ji Liang
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Correspondence to Qingchun Yang.

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Yang, Q., Li, Z., Xie, C. et al. Risk assessment of groundwater hydrochemistry for irrigation suitability in Ordos Basin, China. Nat Hazards 101, 309–325 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-018-3451-4

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