An Assessment of Shallow Groundwater Wells In An Agricultural And Coastal Area In Göksu Delta, Turkey

Abstract

The Göksu Delta of Turkey is an alluvial delta with intense agricultural activity and has great ecological and economic significance. Water samples were collected monthly from 24 wells in the study area, and 13 water quality parameters were examined. The objective of the study was also to determination the water quality in wells of the Göksu Delta and assess levels of salinisation in the region. Piper diagrams and the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was used to generate ionic ratios to evaluate water quality in the study area in an efficient  manner. Overall, the groundwater examined has medium levels of salinity and low sodium content.  The ncrease in groundwater salinity and amounts of Na⁺ and Cl^- are indicators of saltwater intrusion. Rock dissolution and ion exchange were also found to play an active role in the region. All of these factors affect the sustainability of the freshwater aquifers and lower their quality for wildlife species.

Keywords

• Groundwater quality,diagram,seawater intrusion,salinity,geographical information systems (GIS)

References

1. Andreasen, D.C., Fleck, W.B. (1997). Use of bromide: chloride ratios to differentiate potential sources of chloride in a shallow, unconfined aquifer affected by the brackish-water intrusion. Hydrogeology Journal 5, 17-26.