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Geol. Bull. Univ. Peshawar, Vol. 25, pp. 23-37, 1992 ies of groun JOCHEN BUNDSCHUH Institute of Geology, D-7400 Tiibingen 1, Sigwartstr. 10, Germany ABSTRACT: In September 1988 a comprehensive three months progratnrne for Aydro- geoclze~nicaIgrorindwaterinvestigations in Pesltawar Valley in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan was carried ortf. Its main aim was to classib the grorindwater clternically in order to lirrreliglrf the regional differences and highlight problems related to drinking and irrigafion water in the region. Aborit 100 water sarrrples were collected from wells and analyzed. The elevation ofthe grorindwater table and the depflr to the grortndwuter ruble were tneasrired. Thesedata show thuf fl~ewater table in Pesltawar Valley is < 51n deep, except in areas near tlre ~norintainsand in fhe soritkeast where it ranges from 5 to > 30m. There is a general grori?lrl~~aterflow towards tlre centre of the basin from where the discharge is towards the Indris Valley. It has been noticed tlrat tlre electrical conditctiviry (EC-valries) increases from < 800 S/cm near the tnorrntains to a vtaximritn of 7800 S/cm in the centre of the basin. Similar is the case of mineralization. The grorindwater has been classified according to PIPER. In Peshawar Basin predotn i- nantly low mineralized grortndwaters of tlre type "nortnal alkaline earth freshwater prevailing hydrogencarbonntic" and "normal alkaline earth freslzwuter with higher con- tents of alkalies prevailing Il~~drogencarboriutic" are present. These grorindwa~et-sut.e c~f good qriality. Only in its central part higI11y mineralized grori~zclwatet-of tlt r type "ulkalirle f,.e.skwater eiflter Irydrogencarhonatic or srt!f.tic-chlorotic " are found. This Izigl~mineral- izntion in combination witll flte low deptlt of the grortndwater table causes salificar ion of rh e soils in fhe centre of Pesltawar Basin, i.e. Risalprtr and its srirrorindings. It is conclrided thnt the rise of sliclr highly minerulized drinking and irrigation water shortld be abandoned as soon as possible becarise of the expected hazards 10 ltritnan ltealrlt und irrigation. It is highly recommended that dreper wells shorild be drilled to find low tninerali~edgrarindwa- ter in fhis urea. INTRODUCTION use of highly concentrated irrigation water, or water with a special chemical composi- Purpose tion, causes salification of the soil which Beneath air, water is the most important requires expensive and special treatment for substance for the life of all organisms in- productive agriculture. Therefore, a corn- cluding human beings. As in many cases, prehensive three month hydrochemical study water is present in more than sufficient programme was initiated in September 1988 amount in Peshawar Valley, the northwest- for groundwater investigations in Peshawar ern part of Pakistan. In this dry and hot Valley. The main objective of these investi- region the ground and surface water, com- gations was the chemical classification of the ing from the mountains in the north and different types of groundwater, to interpret west, is used for irrigation, drinking and these results and to give some recornmenda- industrial purposes. Generally hydrogeo- tions for the "right use of right water" in logical explorations are carried out with the area. The results of this work are a rough emphasis on the quantity rather than quality approximation for use as a base for detailed (chemical composition) of groundwater. It hydrochemical and hydrogeological investi- is important to know the chemical composi- gations of the Peshawar Valley. tion of water from agricultural and health Methodology of investigations points of view. Water induced diseases may Water samples were taken from 100 repre- take years before they are recognized. The sentative dug and tube wells. Electrical The chemical types of groundwater were Bedrock outcrops determined in order to estimate their local In the surrounding of Peshawar Valley, a distribution in the project area. The direc- structural depression filled with alluvial sedi- tion of groundwater flow was found with the ments, a great number of strata of different help of the groundwater elevation contours. age and lithological composition appears in Based on these investigations areas with suit- the outcrops. According to the intensive able or unsuitable groundwater for irrigation tectonic movement the strata have steep dips. and drinking purposes were identified. In the northern and western vicinity the rocks are predominantly metamorphic while GEOGRAPHYANDGEOLOGYOFTHE in the south sedimentary rocks are found. AREA Alluvial sediments Location and physiography The Peshawar Basin is filled with several The Valley of Peshawar in the NW of Paki- hundred meters thick alluvial sediments of stan covers an area of approximately SO00 Quaternary age. Piedmont deposits are sq.km. It is surrounded by hilly and rnoon- present near the mountains. These weath- tainous regions (Fig. l), except at its ered rocks were transported over a shorter southeast towards the Indus river where the distance. Kabul, Swat and Indus rivers be- intra-mountainous basin is open for discharge long to the group of braided streams. On the of water. The studied area is situated be- one hand they have deposited the sand, tween the longitudes 7 1" 15' and 72'45' E gravel and clay which they transported over and latitudes 33" 45' and 34" 30'N. The greater distances and on the other hand they Peshawar Valley consists of a sandy plain have reworked local material. According to with undulating relief. In general, there are the changing locations of the river arms with no nlajor hills within the plain, except some tiine, the 1i thological composition of the isolated ones in the eastern part. The Kabul alluvial fill varies in both vertical and hori- river, entering from Afghanistan, and the zontal directions. The upper layer is often Swat river and the Kalpani Nala originating built by a thin layer of aeolian sediments. in the northern mountains flow through the area to drain into the Indus river. Addition- ally, there is a great number of channels for SURFACE WATER irrigation purposes. It has to be remarked, The surface water found in the rivers and that there is no river coming from the south- channels of Peshawar Valley are less miner- ern mountains, which carries permanent alized, as suggested by values of the electrical water. To demarcate the Peshawar Valley conductivity , which vary between 250 and from the surrounding hills and mountains the 500 S/cin. Calcium and hydrogen-carbonate contour line 1500 feet (457rn) above M.S.L. are the most important ions dissolved in it. can he used (Fig. 1). There is a gradual de- Magnesium, sodium and sulphate are also crease to 900 feet (274111) towards the centre important, while chloride, nitrate and po- of the alluvial plain. In the cen-ha1 part of the tassium are found only in minor amounts. basin a small rise to an altitude of I000 feet The content of ferrous iron is less than ferric (305 m) is recognizable. iron which is contained in the suspended Climate load of the river water with values up to 10 The Valley of Peshawar has a dry and hot n~g/l.Because of its low grade of mineral- climate. The mean annual precipitation ranges ization this surface water is good for from 33cm in the west to 60cm in the eastern irrigation purposes. HYDROGEOLOGY OF THE STUDY Indus Valley, either in the form of ground- AREA water or, after infiltration into the river in The Alluvial sediments form of surface water. In the centre of Peshawar Valley between Nowshera and AS mentioned earlier the alluvial fill of Peshawar Basin is built by alternating layers Nisetta, there is hardly an inclination of the of clay, silt, sand and gravel. Because of the groundwater table, and the velocity of ground- inhomogeneity of the Quaternary fill, it is water flow is the slowest than elsewhere. not possible to distinguish between certain Together with the relatively. shallow water aquifers. This is why in the following inves- table in this region and high evaporation, the tigations the alluvial sediments are taken as hazard of salification is rising. one very inhomogeneous aquifer, whose com- position varies both in vertical and in HYDROCHEMISTRY OF THE GROUNDWATER horizontal directions. Data collection The bedrock Sampling points: For sampling purposes Only the bedrock near to the mountains are 100 dug wells and tube wells, distributed of hydrogeological interest. In the other parts over the entire valley were selected. One of of Peshawar Valley, excluding some small the selection criteria was that the well should ranges in the east, the bedrocks are covered be in use, so that no sample from water with one hundred meters thick alluvial fill which was stagnant for a long time in the and so economically not recommended for open well, changing its chemical composi- installation of wells. The Mesozoic fissured tion, was taken. The locations of the limestones at the southern boundary of groundwater sampling points number 1 to Peshawar Valley are important aquifers. 100 and the type of well are shown in Similarly the metamorphic rocks at the west- Figure 2. ern and northern boundary of the plain contain Measurements in the field: In the field aquifers of lower transmissivity which are soon after taking the samples, the values of suitable for the installation of smaller wells those parameters which change quickly with (Rafiq et nl., 1983). time, were measured. The pH-value, the Depth of the water table electrical conductivity (EC-value) and the The measured depths to the water table be- content of dissolved oxygen were deter- low the earth's surface were plotted on a map mined by using an electrical pH-meter (WTW to show variations (Fig.3). Except the re- PH-59), an electrical conductivity-meter gion at the boundary to the mountains and an (WTW LF-91) and an electrical oxygen- area in the southeast of the basin with depths meter (WTW OX-92).