Hydrochemical Characteristics and Irrigation Suitability Evaluation of Groundwater with Different Degrees of Seawater Intrusion

• Main Authors: Zhenyan Wang, Shu Wang, Wenyue Liu, Qiao Su, Hui Tong, Xingyong Xu, Zongjun Gao, Jiutan Liu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-12-01
• Series: Water
• Subjects: seawater intrusion; groundwater; hydrochemistry; irrigation suitability; Laizhou Bay
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/12/3460

Groundwater in coastal aquifers is often affected by seawater intrusion, resulting in water quality deterioration. Using groundwater influenced by seawater intrusion for irrigation can lead to crop failure, erosion of machinery and pipes, and adverse effects on farming. In this study, the results of water testing, methods of statistical analysis, ion ratios, a Piper diagram, and a variety of groundwater irrigation suitability models were used to analyze the chemical composition of groundwater and the influence of seawater intrusion. The result shows that the content of Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻, and SO₄²⁻ in groundwater would increase due to seawater intrusion, and the increasing trend was consistent with the freshwater–seawater mixing line. With the deepening of seawater intrusion, the hydrochemical type gradually changes from Ca-HCO₃·Cl to Na·Mg-Cl·SO₄ and then to Na-Cl type, and the source of hydrochemical composition changes from “Rock Weathering Dominance” to “Evaporation Dominance”. When the Cl⁻ concentration is greater than 7.1 meq/L, groundwater will corrode pipelines and instruments; when greater than 28.2 meq/L, excessively high salinity of groundwater will have adverse effects on planting; and when greater than 14.1 meq/L, the groundwater hardness is too high, which may make the groundwater unsuitable for cultivation.