SpringerLink
Log in

Groundwater quality evaluation based on water quality indices (WQI) using GIS: Maadher plain of Hodna, Northern Algeria

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In a semi-arid region of Maadher, central Hodna (Algeria), groundwater is the main source for agricultural and domestic purposes. Anthropogenic activities and the presence of climate change’s effects have a significant impact on the region’s groundwater quality. This study’s goals were to use water quality indices to evaluate the groundwater’s quality and its suitability for drinking and irrigation, as well as to identify contaminated wells using a geographic information system (GIS) and the spatial interpolation techniques of ordinary kriging and inverse distance weighting (IDW). The results reveal that all water samples exceeded the World Health Organization’s standards for nitrate ions and had alarming concentrations of calcium, chlorine, and sulfate (WHO). According to Piper’s diagram, the groundwater hydrochemical facies is composed of the elements sulfate–chloride-nitrate-calcium (SO42−-Cl—NO3−-Ca2+ water type). The majority of samples fall into the poor water category, slightly more than 10% fall into the very poor water category, and less than 10% fall into the good to the excellent quality category, per the water quality indices, which classify samples in a similar manner. According to irrigation water indices, every sample is suitable for irrigation. Depending on the direction of groundwater flow, the spatial distributions of Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, SO42−, and Cl− show that their concentrations are high north of the area and relatively low south of Maadher village (Fig. 3). Nitrate concentrations are high in the majority of samples, particularly those close to the Bousaada wadi. In most samples, particularly those close to the Bousaada wadi, nitrate levels are high. Various water quality models were described, and GIS spatial distribution maps were created using standard kriging and inverse distance weighting (IDW) techniques through selected semi-variograms predicted against measurements. To determine the origin of mineralization and the chemical processes that take place in the aquifer—which include the precipitation and dissolution of dolomite, calcite, aragonite, gypsum, anhydrite, and halite—the groundwater saturation index was calculated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Germany)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

Availability of data and material

The data sets analyzed during the current study are not publicly available because they are the property of the Scientific Research Laboratory but are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

References

  • Abdesselam S, Halitim A, Jan A, Trolard F, Bourrié G (2013) Anthropogenic contamination of groundwater with nitrate in arid regions: case study of southern Hodna (Algeria). Environ Earth Sci 70(5):2129–2141. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-012-1834-5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad S, Umar R, Arshad I (2019) Groundwater quality appraisal and its hydrogeochemical characterization Mathura City, Western Uttar Pradesh. J Geol Soc India 94(6):611–623. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-019-1368-5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aissaoui D M (1989) Upper Jurassic paleogeography south of Chott El Hodna, Algeria. J Afr Earth Sci 9(3/4): 413–420. In French. https://doi.org/10.1016/0899-5362(89)90025-0

  • ANRH (2006) Modeling of the Hodna aquifer. Mission I: data collection, analysis and synthesis (in French). Tech. Rep., Agence nationale des ressources hydrauliques, Algérie

  • Askri H, Belmecheri A, Benrabah B, Boudjema A, Boumendjel K, Daoudi M Terkmani M (1995) Geology of Algeria. In Well Evaluation Conference Algeria 1–93

  • Aravinthasamy P, Karunanidhi D, Subba Rao N, Subramani T, Srinivasamoorthy K (2020) Irrigation risk assessment of groundwater in a non-perennial river basin of South India: implication from irrigation water quality index (IWQI) and geographical information system (GIS) approaches. Arab J Geosci 13(21):1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-06103-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Abdelshafy M, Saber M, Abdelhaleem A, Abdelrazek SM, Seleem EM (2019) Hydrogeochemical processes and evaluation of groundwater aquifer at Sohag City Egypt. Sci Afr 6:e00196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2019.e00196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belkhiri L, Tiri A, Mouni L (2020) Spatial distribution of the groundwater quality using kriging and co-kriging interpolations. Groundw Sustain Dev 11:100473. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2020.100473

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boudiaf B, Dabanli I, Boutaghane H, Şen Z (2020) Temperature and precipitation risk assessment under climate change effect in Northeast Algeria. Earth Syst Environ 4(1):1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41748-019-00136-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boudjemline F, Semar A (2018) Assessment and map** of desertification sensitivity with MEDALUS model and GIS–Case study: basin of Hodna, Algeria. Journal of water and land development. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jwld-2018-0002

  • Bahir M, Ouhamdouch S, Ouazar D et al (2020) Assessment of groundwater quality from semi-arid area for drinking purpose using statistical, water quality index (WQI) and GIS technique. Carbonates Evaporites 35:27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-020-00564-x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • CCME (2017) Canadian water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life: CCME Water Quality Index, User’s Manual. The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME)

  • Chapman D (2021) Water quality assessments: a guide to the use of biota, sediments and water in environmental monitoring. CRC Presshttps://doi.org/10.1201/9781003062103

  • Derekov A M (1973) Hydrological studies in the Chott El Hodna basin. Technical report, FAO

  • Dougha M, Hasbaia M (2019) Contribution of the multivariate analysis and origin for groundwater quality of mixed aquifer in the M’sila plain (Algeria). Int J Hydrol Sci Technol 9(2):154–172. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJHST.2019.098160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El-Zeiny AM, Elbeih SF (2019) GIS-based evaluation of groundwater quality and suitability in Dakhla Oases Egypt. Earth Syst Environ 3(3):507–523. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41748-019-00112-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehya F, Saeedi F (2019) Assessment of groundwater quality in the Garmez area (Southeastern Khuzestan province, SW Iran) for drinking and irrigation uses. Carbonates Evaporites 34:1443–1454. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-018-0481-7

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El Mountassir O, Bahir M, Ouazar D, Ouhamdouch S, Chehbouni A, Ouarani M (2020) The use of GIS and water quality index to assess groundwater quality of krimat aquifer (Essaouira; Morocco). SN Appl Sci 2(5):1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-020-2653-z

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fetter CW (2018) Applied hydrogeology. Waveland Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs RJ (1970) Mechanisms controlling world water chemistry. Science 170(3962):1088–1090

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guiraud R (1973) The main features of the Hodna Chott basin Hydrogeology, Northern Algeria (in French). Publi Servi Géol 39:159–170

    Google Scholar 

  • Guiraud R (1970) Quaternary morphogenesis of the Hodna region (Northern Algeria) (in French). In Annals of Geography. Persée-Portal of scientific journals in SHS 79(433):367–374

  • Ghazaryan K, Movsesyan H, Gevorgyan A, Minkina T, Sushkova S, Rajput V, Mandzhieva S (2020) Comparative hydrochemical assessment of groundwater quality from different aquifers for irrigation purposes using IWQI: a case-study from Masis province in Armenia. Groundw Sustain Dev 11:100459. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2020.100459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao X, Su C, Wang Y, Hu Q (2013) Mobility of arsenic in aquifer sediments at Datong Basin, northern China: effect of bicarbonate and phosphate. J Geochem Explor 135:93–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2012.09.001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • He X, Wu J, He S (2019) Hydrochemical characteristics and quality evaluation of groundwater in terms of health risks in Luohe aquifer in Wuqi County of the Chinese Loess Plateau, northwest China. Hum Ecol Risk Assess Int J 25(1–2):32–51. https://doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2018.1531693

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu J, Zhu C, Long Y, Yang Q, Zhou S, Wu P, Hu X (2021) Interaction analysis of hydrochemical factors and dissolved heavy metals in the karst Caohai Wetland based on PHREEQC, cooccurrence network and redundancy analyses. Sci Total Environ 770:145361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145361

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hussain Y, Ullah SF, Hussain MB, Aslam AQ, Akhter G, Martinez-Carvajal H, Cárdenas-Soto M (2017) Modelling the vulnerability of groundwater to contamination in an unconfined alluvial aquifer in Pakistan. Environ Earth Sci 76(2):1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jalees MI, Farooq MU, Anis M, Hussain G, Iqbal A, Saleem S (2021) Hydrochemistry modeling: evaluation of groundwater quality deterioration due to anthropogenic activities in Lahore. Pakistan Environment Development and Sustainability 23(3):3062–3076. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-00703-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jampani M, Liedl R, Hülsmann S, Sonkamble S, Amerasinghe P (2020) Hydrogeochemical and mixing processes controlling groundwater chemistry in a wastewater irrigated agricultural system of India. Chemosphere 239:124741. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124741

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim J, Lee KK (2022) Hydrogeochemical signatures for sustainable use of shallow groundwater as a thermal resource at groundwater–surface water mixing zone. Environmental Earth Sciences 81(11):1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-022-10439-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li D, Gao X, Wang Y, Luo W (2018) Diverse mechanisms drive fluoride enrichment in groundwater in two neighboring sites in northern China. Environ Pollut 237:430–441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.072

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li C, Gao X, Wang Y (2015) Hydrogeochemistry of high-fluoride groundwater at Yuncheng Basin, northern China. Sci Total Environ 508:155–165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.11.045

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luo W, Gao X, Zhang X (2018) Geochemical processes controlling the groundwater chemistry and fluoride contamination in the Yuncheng Basin, China—an area with complex hydrogeochemical conditions. PLoS ONE 13(7):e0199082. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0199082

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lu P, Zhang G, Apps J, Zhu C (2022) Comparison of thermodynamic data files for PHREEQC. Earth-Science Review 225:103888. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2021.103888

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mutlu E (2019) Evaluation of spatio-temporal variations in water quality of Zerveli stream (northern Turkey) based on water quality index and multivariate statistical analyses. Environ Monit Assess 191(6):1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7473-5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Obaid A N, Mohammed M J (2020) A comparison of topological kriging and area to point kriging for irregular district area in IRAQ. Journal of Mechanics of Continua and Mathematical Sciences. https://doi.org/10.26782/jmcms.2020.04.00009

  • Oseke FI, Anornu GK, Adjei KA, Eduvie MO (2021) Assessment of water quality using GIS techniques and water quality index in reservoirs affected by water diversion. Water-Energy Nexus 4:25–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wen.2020.12.002

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pazand K, Khosravi D, Ghaderi MR, Rezvanianzadeh MR (2018) Identification of the hydrogeochemical processes and assessment of groundwater in a semi-arid region using major ion chemistry: a case study of Ardestan basin in Central Iran. Groundw Sustain Dev 6:245–254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2018.01.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Panneerselvam B, Muniraj K, Thomas M, Ravichandran N (2021) GIS-based legitimatic evaluation of groundwater’s health risk and irrigation susceptibility using water quality index, pollution index, and irrigation indexes in semi-arid region. In Groundwater resources development and planning in the semi-arid region (pp. 239–268). Springer, Cham

  • Rabeiy RE (2018) Assessment and modeling of groundwater quality using WQI and GIS in upper Egypt area. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25(31):30808–30817. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8617-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rata M, Douaoui A, Larid M, Daouik A (2018) Spatial analysis of annual rainfall using ordinary kriging techniques and lognormal kriging in the Cheliff watershed. Algeria. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 1(1)

  • Rostami AA, Karimi V, Khatibi R, Pradhan B (2020) An investigation into seasonal variations of groundwater nitrate by spatial modeling strategies at two levels by kriging and co-kriging models. Journal of environmental management 270: 110843 10.1016/

  • Rashid A, Ayub M, Javed A, Khan S, Gao X, Li C, Nazneen S (2021) Potentially harmful metals, and health risk evaluation in groundwater of Mardan, Pakistan: application of geostatistical approach and geographic information system. Geosci Front 12(3):101128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2020.12.009

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rashid A, Guan DX, Farooqi A, Khan S, Zahir S, Jehan S, Khan R (2018) Fluoride prevalence in groundwater around a fluorite mining area in the flood plain of the River Swat, Pakistan. Sci Total Environ 635:203–215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.064

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rashid A, Farooqi A, Gao X, Zahir S, Noor S, Khattak JA (2020) Geochemical modeling, source apportionment, health risk exposure and control of higher fluoride in groundwater of sub-district Dargai Pakistan. Chemosphere 243:125409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125409

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rashid A, Khan S, Ayub M, Sardar T, Jehan S, Zahir S, Ullah H (2019) Map** human health risk from exposure to potential toxic metal contamination in groundwater of Lower Dir, Pakistan: application of multivariate and geographical information system. Chemosphere 225:785–795. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.03.066

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Radouane E M, Chahlaoui A, Maliki A, Boudellah A (2021) Assessment and modeling of groundwater quality by using water quality index (WQI) and GIS technique in meknes aquifer (Morocco). Geology, Ecology, and Landscapes 1-13https://doi.org/10.1080/24749508.2021.1944797

  • Ramachandran A, Sivakumar K, Shanmugasundharam A, Sangunathan U, Krishnamurthy RR (2021) Evaluation of potable groundwater zones identification based on WQI and GIS techniques in Adyar River basin, Chennai, Tamilnadu India. Acta Ecologica Sinica 41(4):285–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chnaes.2020.02.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh P, Verma P (2019) A comparative study of spatial interpolation technique (IDW and kriging) for determining ground water quality. GIS and Geostatistical Techniques for Groundwater Science. Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands: 43–56

  • Selmane T, Dougha M, Hasbaia M, Ferhati A, Redjem A (2022) Hydrogeochemical processes and multivariate analysis for groundwater quality in the arid Maadher region of Hodna, northern Algeria. Acta Geochimica 41(5):893–909. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-022-00553-y

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shil S, Singh UK, Mehta P (2019) Water quality assessment of a tropical river using water quality index (WQI), multivariate statistical techniques and GIS. Appl Water Sci 9(7):1–21

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soltani AA, Bermad A, Boutaghane H, Oukil A, Abdalla O, Hasbaia M, Lefkir A (2020) An integrated approach for assessing surface water quality: Case of Beni Haroun dam (Northeast Algeria). Environ Monit Assess 192(10):1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-08572-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taloor AK, Pir RA, Adimalla N, Ali S, Manhas DS, Roy S, Singh AK (2020) Spring water quality and discharge assessment in the Basantar watershed of Jammu Himalaya using geographic information system (GIS) and water quality Index (WQI). Groundw Sustain Dev 10:100364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uddin MG, Nash S, Olbert AI (2020a) A review study of water quality index models and their use for assessing surface water quality. Ecol Ind. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.107218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uddin MG, Olbert AI, Nash S (2020b) Assessment of water quality using Water Quality Index (WQI). Ecol Indic 85:966–982

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilde F D (2010) Water-quality sampling by the US Geological Survey: standard protocols and procedures. US Geological Survey Fact Sheet. 312(2)

  • WHO (2011) Guidelines for drinking-water quality WHO (Ed.) Retrieved from http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/2011/dwq_guidelines/en/

  • Wild LM, Mayer B, Einsiedl F (2018) Decadal delays in groundwater recovery from nitrate contamination caused by low O2 reduction rates. Water Resour Res 54(9996–10):012. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018WR023396

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wen D, Zhang F, Zhang E, Wang C, Han S, Zheng Y (2013) Arsenic, fluoride and iodine in groundwater of China. J Geochem Explor 135:1–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2013.10.012

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yilma M, Kiflie Z, Windsperger A, Gessese N (2018) Application of artificial neural network in water quality index prediction: a case study in Little Akaki River, Addis Ababa Ethiopia. Model Earth Syst Environ 4(1):175–187. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-018-0437-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Algeria for the partial financial support to successfully complete the research work; otherwise, it would have been out of our reach.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. VESDD Laboratory, University of M’sila, 28000, M’sila, Algeria

    Tahar Selmane, Mostefa Dougha, Salim Djerbouai & Djamaleddine djemiat

  2. Scientific and Technical Research Centre On Physical and Chemical Analysis, 42004, Bou-Ismail, Tipaza, Algeria

    Nadjet Lemouari

Authors
  1. Tahar Selmane
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mostefa Dougha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Salim Djerbouai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Djamaleddine djemiat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Nadjet Lemouari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Tahar Selmane: wrote the manuscript and prepared some figures. Mostefa Dougha: correction and improvement of work. Salim Djerbouai: preparation of some figures. Djamaleddine djemiat: statistical analysis of quality data. Nadjet Lemouari: physico-chemical analysis of water samples.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tahar Selmane.

Ethics declarations

Ethical approval

Not applicable.

Consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: **anliang Yi

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Selmane, T., Dougha, M., Djerbouai, S. et al. Groundwater quality evaluation based on water quality indices (WQI) using GIS: Maadher plain of Hodna, Northern Algeria. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 30087–30106 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-24338-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-24338-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation