Groundwater Quality and Quantity Analysis for Irrigation Purposes in Okara, Sahiwal and Khanewal Districts of Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Irrigated agriculture is the major determinant of economic growth potential as it accounts for 20% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country. The current study focuses on the qualitative and quantitative assessment of groundwater in three districts i.e., Okara, Sahiwal and Khanewal of the Punjab province of Pakistan, which are considered highly fertile for agriculture production. The data were acquired from the Punjab Irrigation Department (PID) for 10 years (2010-2020) to assess the spatio-temporal patterns. The spatiotemporal mapping and variability of depth to the water table, electrical conductivity (EC), sodium absorption ratio (SAR), and residual sodium carbonate (RSC) were done as per the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Punjab Irrigation Department using inverse distance weighting (IDW) statistical approach of GIS Techniques. The finding of the study revealed that overall water quality in the study area was reported as “fit” by following the WHO standards, whereas as per Punjab Irrigation Department standards, it was observed, as “Moderately fit”. Moreover, in Sahiwal, Okara, and Khanewal districts, the average depth of the water table declined from 2010 to 2015 by 0.619, 1.286, and 0.164 metres and then increased from 2016 to 2020 by 1.698, 1.421 and 0.830 metres, respectively. Although currently the quality and quantity of groundwater were not in critical condition, with continued carelessness and the release of additional water from aquifers, these conditions could deteriorate in the near future. So, developing a suitable mechanism for supplying surface water to farmers, and adapting environmentally acceptable methods of recharging aquifers is much needed.