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Groundwater quality and hydrochemical properties of Al-Ula Region, Saudi Arabia

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Abstract

Groundwater quality monitoring is one of the most important aspects in groundwater studies in arid environments particularly in developing countries, like Saudi Arabia, due to the fast population growth and the expansion of irrigated agriculture and industrial uses. Groundwater samples have been collected from eight locations in Al-Ula in Saudi Arabia during June 2012 and January 2013 in order to investigate the hydrochemical characteristics and the groundwater quality and to understand the sources of dissolved ions. Physicochemical parameters of groundwater such as electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solid, and major cations and anions were determined. Chloride was found to be the dominant anion followed by HCO− 3 and SO4 2−. Groundwater of the study area is characterized by the dominance of alkaline earths (Ca2+ + Mg2+) over alkali metals (Na+ + K+). The analytical results show that the groundwater is generally moderately hard and slightly alkaline in nature. The binary relationships of the major ions reveal that water quality of the Al-Ula region is mainly controlled by rock weathering, evaporation, and ion exchange reactions. Piper diagram was constructed to identify hydrochemical facies, and it was found that majority of the samples belong to Ca-Cl and mixed Ca-Mg-Cl facies. Chemical indices like chloro-alkali indices, sodium adsorption ratio, percentage of sodium, residual sodium carbonate, and permeability index were calculated. Also, the results show that the chemical composition of groundwater sources of Al-Ula is strongly influenced by lithology of country rocks rather than anthropogenic activities.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions that enhanced the manuscript. The authors thank the Deanship of Scientific Research at Taibah University in Saudi Arabia for funding this research, Grant Number 441/1433. The authors are also grateful to farm owners and farmers for allowing their wells to be studied. The assistance we received from staff members of the Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and arts Al-Ula at Taibah University is very much appreciated.

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  1. Biology Department, Faculty of Science and Arts Al Ula, Taibah University, Al Madinah Al Munawarh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Naji Toumi, Sarra Rafrafi & Neama El kassas

  2. ISBM, Monastir University, Monastir, Tunisia

    Naji Toumi

  3. Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt

    Belal H. M. Hussein

  4. Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Arts Al Ula, Taibah University, Al Madinah Al Munawarh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Belal H. M. Hussein

  5. The Research and Training Center on Vectors of Diseases, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    Neama El kassas

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Toumi, N., Hussein, B.H.M., Rafrafi, S. et al. Groundwater quality and hydrochemical properties of Al-Ula Region, Saudi Arabia. Environ Monit Assess 187, 84 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-4241-4

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