Groundwater quality assessment for sustainable irrigation in Nanton district, Ghana

Abstract

As part of the semi-arid region, Ghana falls within the West African Sahel region with high climatic variability and severe droughts, especially in the Northern parts. The Northern region is characterized as one of the driest in Ghana. It experiences one rainy season in a year, though agriculture is one of the main economic activities. Nanton district in the Northern region consists of farming communities. However, there is limited availability of water for crop watering during the dry season and groundwater could become a possible source of water supply. This research, therefore, seeks to provide information on the irrigation quality status of groundwater in the Nanton district. Information from this research also aims to assist policymakers take the right decisions for sustainable agriculture in the study area. Irrigation water indexes in combination with the USSL diagram were adopted as methods for analyses in this research. Results generally suggest that groundwater in the study area is suitable for irrigation purposes, except for a few places in the district. Further studies should be conducted to precisely state the quality of water used for drinking and domestic purposes. The research should also emphasize identifying factors controlling groundwater chemistry in the area.