Hydrochemical analysis and evaluation of groundwater quality in El Eulma area, Algeria

Abstract

The groundwater sources in the El Elma plain have been evaluated for their chemical composition and suitability for irrigation uses. Cluster analysis in Q-mode resulted in three major water types (HCO3--Ca-2+dominated, Cl--HCO3--Ca2+-dominated and Cl--Ca2+-Na+-dominated) for the groundwater. The US salinity diagram illustrates that most of the groundwater samples fall in C3S1 quality with high salinity hazard and low sodium hazard. Based on RSC values, all the samples of the three groups had values less than 1. 25 and were good for irrigation. © 2012 The Author(s).