Hydrogeochemical Assessment of Groundwater for Irrigation and Drinking in Al-Kubba and Sherikhan Area, Northwest of Mosul City

Understanding and managing of water reserves are based on the study of groundwater. The current study includes areas at the left side of Mosul City for the upper and lower regions of Sherikhan and Al-Kubba. Six samples are collected from wells in the study area. TDS, Temp., EC and pH are measured in the field. A laboratory analysis of the main ions (Na+, Mg+2, Ca+2, Cl-, SO4-2, HCO3-, K+1) is performed. The study results show that most wells samples do not conform to the specifications of the Iraqi standards for drinking water due to the high values of most of the measured qualitative properties. The water quality index WQI reveals that most of the samples are considered as not suitable for drinking. Few heavy elements (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Co) are also examined, and each of Fe and Cu is within acceptable limits of WHO specifications, while the rest of the elements are over the acceptable limits. Irrigation tests are also examined, and each of TH, Na% and the ratio of MAR is within the acceptable limits and it refers to the suitability for irrigation of most plants that are moderately sensitive to salinity and some plants who have moderate resistance to salt. The statistical analysis shows that there is a strong correlation between calcium and bicarbonate, and between sodium and chlorine. This indicates that carbonate and sodium salts were dissolved.