Hydrogeochemical Characterization and Irrigation Quality Assessment of Shallow Groundwater in the Central-Western Guanzhong Basin, China

Groundwater is the major water resource for the agricultural development of the Guanzhong Basin, China. In this study, a total of 97 groundwater samples (51 from the North Bank of the Wei River (NBWR) and 46 from the South Bank of the Wei River (SBWR)) were collected from the central-western Guanzhong Basin. The aim of this study was to investigate the hydrogeochemical characteristics of the basin and to determine the suitability of shallow groundwater for irrigation. The groundwater of the entire study area is alkaline. The groundwater of the SBWR is fresh water, and the NBWR groundwater is either freshwater or brackish water. The average concentration of ions (except for Ca(2+)) in SBWR samples is lower than in NBWR samples. HCO(3)(−) is dominant in the groundwater of the study area. Ca(2+) is dominant in the SBWR while Na(+) is dominant in the NBWR. The SBWR groundwater is mainly of the HCO(3)-Ca·Mg type, and has undergone the main hydrogeochemical processes of rock weathering-leaching. The hydrochemical facies of the majority of the NBWR groundwater samples are the HCO(3)-Na type with several minor hydrochemical facies of the HCO(3)-Ca·Mg, SO(4)·Cl-Na, and SO(4)·Cl-Ca·Mg types. Its chemistry is mainly controlled by rock weathering, cation exchange, and evaporation. Salinity hazard, sodium percentage, sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate, magnesium hazard, permeability index, Kelley’s ratio, potential salinity, synthetic harmful coefficient, and irrigation coefficient were assessed to evaluate the irrigation quality of groundwater. The results of the comprehensive consideration of these indicators indicate that the percentage of NBWR water samples suitable for irrigation purposes ranges between 15.7% and 100% at an average level of 56.7%. Of the SBWR water samples suitable for irrigation, the percentage ranges from 78.3% to 100% with an average of 91.8%. Land irrigated with such water will not be exposed to any alkali hazard, but will suffer from a salinity hazard, which is more severe in the NBWR. Thus, most of the water in the NBWR can be used for soils with good drainage conditions which control salinity.