Hydrochemical comparison of groundwater in dibbdiba and dammam aquifers in the karbala plateau, central Iraq

Abstract

Fifty groundwater samples of water wells drilled in Karbala Plateau by the General Commission for Groundwater, twenty samples from Dibdibba and thirty from Dammam aquifers. The samples were anlaysed for major ions (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, SO2+4, Cl–, HCO–3, and NO–3), in addition to pH, EC and TDS. The aim of this study is to compare these aquifers hydrocamically and identify factors controlling their chemistry. Rock weathering is the main process affecting chemistry of Dammam groundwater in addition to cation exchange process. Evaporation process plays an important role influenced the chemical composition of groundwater in Dibdibba aquifer. The (Ca + Mg) SO4 and Na – (SO4 + Cl) are the predominant hydrochemical facies in Dibaiba and Dammam aquifers respectively. The alkaline water in some wells of Dibdibba aquifer may reflect the mixing with the Dammam aquifer.