assessment of surface water,& groundwater...

Assessment of Surface Water,& Groundwater Quality of Haur Al-Hammar after Restoration /Southern Iraq

P f D M t A M Al D bb & J d K M iiProf. Dr. Moutaz A. M. Al-Dabbas& Jawad K.ManiiCollege of Science , University of Baghdad

IRAQ

[email protected]@yahoo.com

M b 009647902290029Mob: 009647902290029

Th M hl d /S th IThe Marshlands /Southern Iraq

The marshlands are situated north of Basrah City occupying a triangular area y py g gbetween three cities of Basrah, Misan and Nassirya, discharging their water to the Arabian Gulf, through the Shut Al-Arab Estuary. Water shortages in the region have changed the nature of the marshlands in southern Iraq. The marshlands receive their water supply from the two rivers of Tigris and Euphrates, as well as from the drainage systems and irrigation channels which together form lakes of different depths of approximately (1 - 1.5 meters). These lakes are joined together through a network of channels which are used by the people of the marshlands to travel to different settlements, as well as the surrounding country-sides. The water of the marshland is mobile, not stagnant,

h th H hl d hi h i k t b th l t f h tsuch as the Hammar marshland which is known to be the largest fresh water marshland in Iraq as it intersects the Euphrates River.

People in the Marshes live in huts built from reeds and reeds matting, with attractive designs that go back to ancient times They look like hundreds of islands clusteredancient times.They look like hundreds of islands clustered together into small townships. In March and April the weather is pleasant, and the whole place is shot throughweather is pleasant, and the whole place is shot through with plants and flowers. Reeds may rise 7 m high and papyrus, 3 m .In the winter season water birds of all kinds migrate to the Marshes, which then becomes a hunters paradise. Fish, however, are always plentiful and the local inhabitants catch them with nets or spear them with a fiveinhabitants catch them with nets or spear them with a five-pronged fala,peculiar to the area .

Studies of satellite images of the geographical areas show that only 10% of the marshland exists of theshow that only 10% of the marshland exists of the original 20,000 sq. Km, represented by the Huwaiza Marsh which depends on the excess water that reaches

.it from the Kurkha River flowing from Iran, while Qurna and Hammar Marshes that used to cover 20,000 square km have disappeared As a result the marshlands lostkm have disappeared. As a result, the marshlands lost many of their plant and animal species, and in consequence have also lost many of their people. consequence have also lost many of their people.

The Mesopotamian Marshland on downstream of the Tigris and Euphrates basin southern Iraq have been seriouslyand Euphrates basin southern Iraq have been seriously damaged during the last two decades. The marshland therefore has become saline, with frequent sandstormstherefore has become saline, with frequent sandstorms unfit for cultivation .Although, in February 1993, the United Nations expressed

.their concerns over the destruction of the wetlands, more efforts are needed to draw concrete actions to address this humanitarian and environmental disasterhumanitarian and environmental disaster. The first action that is required, would be the respect of the riparian rights. Blocking these two international rivers isriparian rights. Blocking these two international rivers is the main reason for this environmental tragedy in the south of Iraq, including the climatic effects associated with it.

Aims of studyAims of study

To adopt an integrated approach to assess the changing To adopt an integrated approach to assess the changing environmental impact of the marsh after their period of desiccation . By Producing maps of concentrations of anions y g pand cations in surface water, ground water and marsh sediment water extracts as well as concentrations of trace elements in

h t & b i GIS A tt t t d t d thmarsh water & by using GIS. As an attempt to understand the hydrochemistry of the surface & ground water in Hammar Marsh relate these to elements release in water

As well as using Powersim Studio-7 system dynamics model to

relate these to elements release in water.

As well as using Powersim Studio 7 system dynamics model to build prediction model for the Marsh restoration.

Geology Hydrogeology HydrologyGeology, Hydrogeology, Hydrology

• The marshlands are generally underlain by the Recent Younger Alluvium• The marshlands are generally underlain by the Recent Younger Alluvium consisting of alluvial, marine, lacustrine, and playa sediments reaching thicknesses up to 160 meter.

• This marsh is situated on the right bank of the Euphrates River; it is about 90• This marsh is situated on the right bank of the Euphrates River; it is about 90Km long and 25-30 km wide.Hammar Marsh was fed primarily by flooding and tributaries

of the Euphrates at Suq ashuyukh via a system of smallerrivers. Hammar marshlands have several outlets all into theShatt Al Arab, Mushab ,Salal, (Karmat Ali), Shafi and Gumejrivers. These are affected by tidal actions as well.

• groundwater occurs within the recent alluvium that is consisting of clay silt• groundwater occurs within the recent alluvium, that is consisting of clay, silt, fine sand . water table intersects the surface. The water table parallels the ground surface, and slopes to the southeast.

Aim of the study o t e study

Climatology

The climate of Iraq is mainly of the continental, subtropical arid type.

30

35

60

70

80

15

20

25

precipitation 30

40

50

Humidity

0

5

10

0

10

20

JAN FEB

MARAPR

MAYJUN

JULAUG

SEPOCT

NOVDEC

50

Jan.

Feb.

Mar. Apr.

May.

Jun

Jul.

Aug.

Sep.

Oct. Nov.

Dec.

M

250

300

30

35

40

45

150

200

10

15

20

25

Temperature 50

100

Evapotranspiration

0

5

Jan. Feb.

Mar.Apr.

May.Jun

Jul.Aug.

Sep.Oct.

Nov.Dec.

0

Jan.

Feb.

Mar. Apr.

May.

Jun. Jul.

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Result and DiscussionHydrochemistry of surface water Hammar Marshy y

• The pH of the restored marsh is slightly alkaline.The marsh are generally more saline than the rivers due to g y

further evaporation and agricultural runoff.The Hammar Marsh salinity, ranging up to 0.86 to 4.07

parts per thousand in the summer and 0 81 to 3 4 partparts per thousand in the summer and 0.81 to 3.4 part per thousand in spring, with salinity increasing to the south and east.

All th i t ti i th t f H M hAll the ions concentrations in the water of Hammar Marsh are higher than the worldwide freshwater average and lower than the average concentration in seawater.

The concentrations of ions increase toward south . except sulphate, which behaves in the opposite manner .

Hydrochemistry of surface water Hammar MarshHydrochemistry of surface water Hammar Marsh

The distribution of the major ions according to their•The distribution of the major ions according to theirdecreasing concentration was Na+ >Mg++ >Ca++ >K+ ; Cl->SO4-2 >HCO3-.SO4 2 HCO3 .

• The water type was Ca-Mg-Na-SO4-Chloride Type andCa-Mg-Na-Cl-sulfateCa-Mg-Na-Cl-sulfate.

•The concentration of these ions seems exceed thepermissible limits for human drinking WHO (2003)permissible limits for human drinking WHO (2003).

• Low concentrations of most trace elements studied Cd,Pb C Z d Ni b l d t ti l l f thPb, Cu, Zn and Ni were below detection levels of theinstrument for the water samples.

G i Si &Mi l f H M h S di tGrain Size &Mineralogy of Hammar Marsh Sediments

The grain si e anal sis reflects that the sediments of Al Hammar MarshThe grain size analysis reflects that the sediments of Al-Hammar Marsh are classified as clayey silt dominance 50%, sandy silt 16%, silty sand 16% and silty mud 6.2%. The mineralogical analysis indicates that they are composed mainly of the Carbonates (calcite dolomite) calciteare composed mainly of the Carbonates (calcite, dolomite) calcite (30%), dolomite (7%), quartz (31%), and feldspars (8%) minerals, while, Gypsum is found in the surface sediments as authigenic minerals. The clay minerals are Montmorillonite Kaolinite Illite and Smectitesclay minerals are Montmorillonite, Kaolinite, Illite, and Smectites.

Ground water in Hammar Marsh

Shallow ground water

• The hydrochemical composition of shallow ground waterHammer Marsh area indicates that one ater t pe that is s lfateHammer Marsh area indicates that one water type that is sulfatewater type with various proportions of the cations .•The hydrochemical analyses of shallow ground water areThe hydrochemical analyses of shallow ground water areindicate sulfate water type, (Ca- Mg- Na)- sulfate , (Ca -Mg- Na)- HCO3 – sulfate and (Ca- Mg- Na-)-Cl-sulfate water type .•According to the total concentration of soluble salts by Altoviski(1962) classification, all ground water in the study area may betermed as slightly brackish water and is considered unsuitabletermed as slightly brackish water and is considered unsuitablefor human drinking on the basis of the total dissolved solid.


Deep Ground Water

The salinity of the deep ground water show gradual increasing from south to the north and the water type graduate from fresh water in southern partto the north and the water type graduate from fresh water in southern part

to brine water in the north near Al Nassirya city.High concentration of magnesium( max 4000 ppm) ,calcium( 2000ppm), and sulphate ions (10000ppm) were indicated in the north and northeast

•

p ( pp )direction .Chloride (max 1750 ppm) reflect higher values in southwest ward while , sodium ( max 10000ppm) show different distribution ,that

was increasing in the northeast direction and in the central region .TDS g greaches maximum values of about 64613 ppm. On the basis of the upward information the movement direction of deep ground water to

west of the marshlands, and through weakness zones , it was possible for groundwater to mix with the surface water of the marsh and it could be responsible to the high salinity of the marsh water in certain south

and western parts of Al-Hammar Marsh .


Deep Ground Water

In some parts of Haur Al-Hammar water, there is some contribution from the Dammam deep aquifer along fault planes. Actually, Haur Al-Hammar marsh is representing the discharge zone of the groundwater & the type of Haur Al-Hammar surface water is

•

affected by the type of groundwater. The major components of the deep groundwater (Dammam aquifer waters) concentration values increase toward the discharge zone (such as potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, sulphate, chloride elements). The groundwater in the Dammam aquifer is mainly sulphatic, with a prevailed calcium and sodium hydrofacies. The sulphate group is attributed to the connection of water with gypsum and anhydrite rocks. The bicarbonate group is restricted to the location of land d i d t th ff t f i t th t l t i th d i hdepressions, due to the effect of rainwater that accumulates in these depressions, where some are percolates to the shallow aquifer, or moves down in fault planes to relatively deeper aquifers.


Deep ground water

• The salinity of deepy pground water showsgradual increasing from

th t th th d thsouth to the north and thewater type graduate fromfresh water in southernfresh water in southernpart to brine water in thenorth near An- Nassiryaycity.


Deep ground water

The amount of waterneeded to restoration themarsh can be collect withinmarsh can be collect within10 years beginning from2003,and these result tocorresponding within thecorresponding within thetime that necessary torestoration the marsh thatdetermined from thedete ed o t eministry of irrigation.

CONCLUSION

Th M t i h f th I liThe Mesopotamian marshes of southern Iraq earlier assessments suggested that poor water quality, the presence of toxic materials and high saline soil conditions in theof toxic materials, and high saline soil conditions in the drained marshes would prevent their ecological restoration. However, the high volume of good-quality water entering the

.marshes from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, allowed about > 25% of the former Al-Hammar marsh to be reflooded. H th f t il bilit f t f t ti i iHowever, the future availability of water for restoration is in question, which suggests that only a portion of the former marshes may be restoredmarshes may be restored.

1-Because of the low rainfall and high evaporation within the marsh area,CONCLUSION

1 Because of the low rainfall and high evaporation within the marsh area, restoration of the marsh is highly dependent upon the supply of water from the Euphrates River.

2- The water quality of the marsh is largely affected by the arid climate, soil conditions, upstream waters on the Euphrates and probably with the ground water .g

3- The water quality is good and supports the natural life cycles of restored marsh.4- The concentration of trace elements in the sediments water extracts of the marsh occurs with the natural (background) concentrations.

5 Li it d f th h h b it bl f i lt l5- Limited area of the marsh have been suitable for agricultural purpose .

Conclusion:6- It is necessary to plan and map out an overall strategy to achieve y gyrestoration of the marshlands. The overall strategy would involve tackling different aspects of the problem simultaneously .7- Carry out scientific studies related to preventing further.7 Carry out scientific studies related to preventing further deterioration in the Marshlands and to provide possible solutions for the restoration of at least a part of the affected marshlands, such as estimates the available amount of water needed from upstreamas estimates the available amount of water needed from upstream. 8- A comprehensive study is needed for developing the economy of the region as a whole.

assessment of surface water,& groundwater...

Documents