Interaction of Rahaliya–Ekhedhur groundwater with the aquifer rock, West Razzaza Lake, Central Iraq

Abstract

The groundwater of Dammam aquifer in Rahaliya–Ekhedhur area, West Razzaza, Iraq, was studied to identify the main hydrogeochemical processes and the groundwater–rock interaction. The results indicated that Na+ and SO42− are the dominant ions in the groundwater. The average contribution of cations in the aquifer is Na+ + K+ (24.7 %), Ca2+ (13.9 %), and Mg2+ (11.4 %), while anions contribution is SO42− (23.0 %), Cl− (20.7 %), and HCO3− (6.3 %). The groundwater characterized by neutral to slightly alkaline hard water, excessively mineralized, and slightly brackish water type. Rock–water interaction processes are identified to include dissolution of carbonates, sulfates, halite, and clay minerals, leaching, and cation exchanges, with little impact of evaporation.