Hydrogeochemical assessment of the Upper Cheliff groundwater (North West Algeria)

The quality of the Upper Cheliff groundwater, located in North West Algeria, has in recent years undergone serious deterioration due to uncontrolled discharge of urban wastewaters, intensive use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture as well as to overexploitation. This study aims at analyzing the flow pattern of the Upper Cheliff groundwater, determining its current hydrochemical status and understanding the mineralization processes involved in its chemical quality. Two piezometric and sampling campaigns were carried out in 2008 in high water (April) and low water (October) periods. The major chemical ions (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, HCO₃ ⁻, NO₃ ⁻, SO₄ ²⁻) were analyzed in all samples. The piezometric data were mapped and allowed to analyze the groundwater flow conditions, in particular at the boundaries of the aquifer. The interpretation of hydrochemical data was made using various methods (Piper diagram, Stabler classification, base exchanges index, bi-elements scatter diagrams, saturation indices, mapping and multivariate principal component analysis). The results provide a better understanding of this aquifer hydrogeology and hydrochemistry. Several hydrochemical types (chloride-calcium, chloride-sodium and bicarbonate-calcium) characterize the groundwater. Mineralization processes and the origin of salinity are determined by the lithology of the aquifer (dissolution, base exchanges), and by climatic (evaporation) and anthropogenic factors (agricultural and urban wastes). The groundwater in the Upper Cheliff is currently of poor quality. This status is worrying, as this groundwater is an important natural resource for the socio-economic development of this region. Urgent measures must be taken to preserve this resource.