Groundwater quality assessment for irrigation purposes based on irrigation water quality index and its zoning with GIS in the villages of Chabahar, Sistan and Baluchistan, Iran

The present study was conducted to evaluate the groundwater quality and its suitability for irrigation purpose through GIS in villages of Chabahr city, Sistan and Baluchistan province in Iran. This cross-sectional study was carried out from 2010 to 2011 the 1-year-monitoring period. The water samples were collected from 40 open dug wells in order to investigate the water quality. Chemical parameters including EC, SAR, Na+, Cl−, pH, TDS, HCO3− and IWQI were analyzed. In order to calculate the irrigation water quality index subsequent five water quality parameters (EC, SAR, Na+, Cl−, and HCO3−) were utilized. Among the total of 40 samples were analyzed for IWQI, 40% of the samples classified as excellent water, 60% of the samples in good water category. Keywords: Groundwater quality, IWQI, GIS, Chabahr, Ira