State of the Practice Worldwide: Utilizing Hydrogeochemical Data and GIS Tools to Assess the Groundwater Quality in Arid Region: Example from Wadi Feiran Basin, Southwestern Sinai, Egypt

Abstract

The paper aims to study the physio-chemical parameters of Wadi Feiran groundwater and classify it for use for drinking and irrigation. Twenty water samples collected from the WF have revealed a number of physio-chemical parameters such as pH, TDS, SAR, EC, ions (Na⁺, Mg⁺², Ca⁺², K⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄⁻², NO₃⁻, and HCO₃⁻), and trace elements (U, Pb, Cd, Zr, and Fe). The study clarified that the major ion parameters are within the permissible limits according to WHO 2018, except for Ca⁺², Cl⁻, SO4⁻², and NO3⁻, but trace elements have high concentrations, except for Zn. To recognize the association between groundwater quality parameters and their collective impact on whole groundwater quality, correlation coefficient, factor, and cluster multivariate statistical analyses were carried out and confirmed with the constructed LU/LC map. These revealed that the increase of TDS, EC, Cl, SO₄, Na, Mg, and NO₃ is attributed to rainfall, leakage of municipal sewage Nile water, and human actions. GIS approaches were used to create thematic layers from groundwater physio-chemical parameters, which were then weighted and combined to produce a groundwater quality model. This model was classified into potable, marginal, and un-potable water. Potable and marginal water can be used for drinking and irrigation, but un-potable water can only be used for irrigation.