Simulation Study of the effect of artificial recharge on the water quality of shallow dibdibba clastic aquifer in Zubair-Safwan Area, South of Iraq

الملخص EN

The Dibdibba clastic aquifer is a major source of brackish groundwater in Basra-Zubair-Safwan area, south of Iraq.

The water has total dissolved solids ranging from 3810 to 9225 mg/l.

Twenty five wells are selected to study the groundwater quality of the area being question, from which only four wells are used for testing the mixing experiment.

Three types of water are chosen to test the effect of mixing schemes with different ratio of the native groundwater quality.

These are: storm runoff (flood) which is observed during 2006 winter in the southern part of Basrah along the Iraqi-Kuwaiti boarder, water from Shatt Al-Arab River and tab water.

To evaluate the mixing processes, the geochemical modeling code AQUACHEM and inherent geochemical modeling package PHREEQC was employed.

The modeling results show the importance of the artificial recharge with the tested water to improve the groundwater quality of the aquifer and to lowering and control the concentration of nitrate in the resulting water after mixing.

This study highly recommends to use meteoric water in artificial recharge to improve the water quality and quantity of Dibdibba clastic aquifer in south of Iraq.