Quality of Groundwater for Irrigation in Tehsil Taxila of District Rawalpindi, Punjab

Soil & Environ. 29(2): 167-171, 2010 www.se.org.pk Online ISSN: 2075-1141 Print ISSN: 2074-9546

Quality of groundwater for irrigation in tehsil Taxila of district RawalpindI, Punjab

A. Waheed1, R. Khalid1, T. Mahmood1, M.T. Siddique2* and A.S. Javed1 1Soil Fertility Survey and Soil Testing Institute, Rawalpindi 2PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi

Abstract A study was undertaken to categorize suitability of groundwater for irrigation purpose in Taxila area of Rawalpindi district. A total of 628 water samples were collected from nine union councils in Taxila, analyzed and categorized according to the suitability criteria of water quality evaluation. Sixty six percent water samples were fit, 21 % were marginally fit and 13 % were found unfit for irrigation purposes. In majority of the union councils, water was fit for irrigation except Thatta Khalil and Khurram Paracha where > 20 % of water samples were unfit. About 17 % water samples were unfit due to higher electrical conductivity (EC). Residual sodium carbonate (RSC) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) were higher in few water samples, while > 90 % water samples had RSC and SAR within prescribed safe permissible limits. The dominant cations were Ca++ + Mg++ and Na+ with mean values -1 - - -1 of 7.6 and 3.3 me L whereas, HCO3 and Cl were dominant anion with mean values of 4.2 and 3.0 me L , respectively. The analytical data indicated that these waters had higher EC. However, the quality of available groundwater in the tehsil is suitable for raising trees and orchards. Guidelines of water for irrigation purpose should be based on the soil textural class for its maximum utilizationr and to avoid any potential harmful effects on soil health. Keywords: Water analysis, Groundwater quality, Rawalpindi district

Introduction crop yield is also governed by the type of soil, climate and management practices (Singh et al., 1992). However, water The Pothwar plateau consists of an area of more than with EC values below 0.75 dS m-1 are satisfactory for one million hectares. The plateau generally has flat to irrigation, although salt sensitive crops may be adversely gently undulating surface, locally broken by gullies and low affected by the use of irrigation waters having conductivity hills/ ranges. Rawalpindi district is an important part of values in the range 0.25-0.75 dS m-1 (U.S. Salinity Lab. Pothwar plateau (latitude 32º 10 to 34º 9 N and longitude Staff, 1954). The quality of groundwater is highly variable 71º 10 to 73º 55 E) consisting of five tehsils. Taxila is one in various parts of the country both vertically and of them situated near Margalla Hills. Rawalpindi district horizontally from complete fresh to extremely saline. In lies in high to medium rainfall zone, rainfall varies from Rawalpindi district due to deeply incised nature of main 500 to 1000 mm per annum. About 70 % of annual rivers, groundwater over most of the areas are derived from precipitation is received in the summer months of July and precipitation. Ali et al. (2009) reported that quality of August (Nizami et al., 2004). The farmers have to rely on available ground water in most (76.6%) of the villages of irrigation through tubewells for growing vegetables and Lahore district was not suitable for sustainable crop other ornamental crops due to seasonal and erratic rains. It production and soil health. According to Soil Fertility is estimated from the groundwater survey of the country Survey and Soil Testing Institute, Rawalpindi (2006-07), that with assured and dependable supply from private 73% of water samples analyzed, were fit for irrigation tubewells, farmers have changed the cropping pattern during 2006-07. Khalid et al. (2003) reported that in towards high value crops like vegetables and fruits. Rawalpindi district, 71% of water samples were fit, 9% For successful crop production on sustainable basis, the marginally fit and 20% were unfit for irrigation. The 48% quality of groundwater is of main concern. The common of water samples were unfit for irrigation in Gujrat district quality characteristics considered are electrical conductivity of Punjab (Pervaiz et al., 2003). Kashif et al., (2009) (EC), sodium adsorption ration (SAR) and residual sodium investigated quality and heavy metal occurrence in Hudiara carbonate (RSC) (Idris and Shafiq, 1999). The drain water and its accumulation in vegetable crops in concentration and composition of dissolved constituents in Lahore region. The water of Hudiara drain was found fit for water determine its quality for irrigation use. It is difficult irrigation purpose but not fit in relation to heavy metal to define the critical limits of EC, RSC and SAR because contents. The objective of present study was to assess the the effect of different qualities of water on soil health and

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- quality of groundwater in the Taxila tehsil of Rawalpindi anions, HCO3 was the dominant anion ranging from 0.1- district for its suitability to irrigation. 12.9 me L-1 with mean value of 4.2 me L-1 followed by Cl- -1 -2 Materials and Methods with mean value of 3.0 me L . However, CO3 were present in few water samples. During the study a total of 628 tubewell/well water samples were collected from 9 union council of tehsil Taxila, district Rawalpindi. Tubewells selection was made Electrical conductivity (EC) status randomly in all tehsils. The samples were taken in polythene bottles after thirty minutes of tubewell operation. The classification of water samples on the basis of EC The depth of tubewells/wells ranged from 30 to 200 feets. (Table 3) indicated that EC of 76 % water samples were The tubewells water is being used for raising vegetables, within safe limits (<1.00 dS m-1) whereas, 11% samples ornamental plants, forests trees and nurseries. The water were unfit and 14% were marginally fit for irrigation. The samples were analyzed at Soil Fertility Survey and Soil EC of all water samples ranged from 0.20-4.60 dS m-1 with Testing Institute, Rawalpindi for electrical conductivity a mean value of 0.95 dS m-1. +2 +2 + -2 - (EC), cations (Ca + Mg , Na ) and anions (CO3 , HCO3 , Residual sodium carbonates (RSC) status Cl-) by the methods described by Page et al. (1982) and U.S. Salinity Lab. Staff (1954). Residual sodium carbonates Table 4 showed the classification of water samples on (RSC) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) were the basis of RSC. The RSC ranged from 0.2-8.0 me L-1 with determined by following formulas of U.S. Salinity Lab. mean value of 0.60. Out of 628 water samples, the RSC of Staff (1954). 587 water samples was within safe limits (<1.25 me L-1). Only 14 water samples (2%) were unfit and 27 (4%) were RSC (meq L-1) = (CO -2 + HCO -) - (Ca++ + Mg+) 3 3 marginally fit due to higher RSC. SAR = Na+ / √ Ca++ + Mg+ /2 The criteria used for evaluation of irrigation water was Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) status proposed by Malik et al. (1984) and is given in Table 1. The SAR values of water in most of the union councils Table1: The criteria for suitability of irrigation water. (Table 5) were within safe limit (< 6). The SAR ranged from 0.0-11.7 10 [(mmol L-1)1/2] with mean value of 1.7 Parameter Fit Marginally fit Unfit (Table 2). With respect to their distribution, 610 (97%) E C (dS m-1) 1.0 1.0 – 1.25 > 1.25 water samples were within safe limits and only one water RSC (me L-1) <1.25 1.25 – 2.25 > 2.25 sample of Thatta Khalil union council was unfit due to high SAR [(mmol L-1)1/2] < 6 6- 10 > 10 SAR. Results Commutative effect of EC, RSC, SAR on water quality The analytical data regarding cations, anions, EC, SAR and RSC of tubewell water in tehsil Taxila are presented in Classification of water on the basis of commutative following paragraph. effect of three parameters (EC, RSC, SAR) is presented in Table 6 and Figure 1. It indicated that out of 628 water Ionic concentration samples, 416 (66%) were fit, 129 (21%) were marginally fit Ca+2 + Mg+2 were the dominant cations, ranging from and 83 (13%) were unfit for irrigation according to the 2.0 to 57.0 me L-1 with mean value of 7.6 me L-1 followed suitability criteria (Table 1). by Na+ with mean value of 3.3 me L-1 (Table 2). Among the

Table 2: The minimum, maximum, and mean values of cations, anions, electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ration (SAR) and residual sodium carbonate (RSC)

+2 +2 + -2 - - Ca +Mg Na CO3 HCO3 Cl EC RSC SAR -1 -1 -1 -1 1/2 me L dS m me L (mmol L )

Min 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.8 0.20 0.0 0.0

Max 57.0 30.0 6.0 12.9 18.0 4.60 2.8 11.7

Mean 7.6 3.3 0.6 4.2 3.0 0.95 0.6 1.7

SD 6.10 3.50 0.76 1.81 2.61 0.68 4.86 1.46 Ground water quality for irrigation 169

Water quality in union councils of tehsil unfit for irrigation. Whereas, maximum number (8) of unfit Taxila water samples (32%) were recorded in Khurram Pracha Jalala union council had maximum 48 (91%) water followed by 39 (21%) in Thatta Khalil union councils. In under safe limits followed by Usman Khattar (87%). Out of remaining union councils, more than 50 % samples were fit 53 samples analyzed from Jalal union council, none was for irrigation.

Table 3: Classification of water samples on the basis of electrical conductivity (EC: dS m-1) Union Councils Number of water samples Fit Marginally fit Unfit Thatta Khalil 188 130 28 30 Taxila 146 93 31 22 Losar Sharfoo 60 51 7 2 Cantt Area 59 54 2 3 Jalala 53 49 4 0 Usman Khattar 38 34 3 1 Gari Sikandar 32 29 3 0 Wah Village 27 23 3 1 Khurram Paracha 25 12 5 8 Total 628 475 86 67 % age 76 14 11

Table 4: Classification of water samples on the basis of residual sodium carbonate (RSC: me L-1) Union Councils Number of water samples Fit Marginally fit Unfit Thatta Khalil 188 165 15 8 Taxila 146 142 2 2 Losar Sharfoo 60 58 1 1 Cantt Area 59 56 2 1 Jalala 53 52 1 0 Usman Khattar 38 36 1 1 Gari Sikandar 32 28 4 0 Wah Village 27 26 0 1 Khurram Paracha 25 24 1 0 Total 628 587 27 14 % age 93 04 02

Table 5: Classification of water samples on the basis of sodium adsorption ration [SAR (mmol L-1)1/2] Union Councils Number of water samples Fit Marginally fit Unfit Thatta Khalil 188 176 11 1 Taxila 146 142 4 0 Losar Sharfoo 60 60 0 0 Cantt Area 59 59 0 0 Jalala 53 53 0 0 Usman Khattar 38 38 0 0 Gari Sikandar 32 31 1 0 Wah Village 27 27 0 0 Khurram Paracha 25 24 1 0 Total 628 610 17 1 % age 97 2.5 0.5

170 Waheed, Khalid, Mahmood, Siddique and Javed

Table 6: Classification of irrigation water using commutative guidelines for electrical conductively (EC), residual sodium carbonate (RSC) and sodium adsorption ratio [SAR (mmol L-1)1/2] Union Councils No of water samples Fit Marginally fit Unfit Thatta Khalil 188 95 (50)ψ 54 (29) 39 (21) Taxila 146 85 (58) 37 (25) 24 (17) Losar Sharfoo 60 48 (80) 8 (13) 4 (7) Cantt Area 59 51 (86) 4 (9) 4 (7) Jalala 53 48 (91) 5 (9) 0 (0) Usman Khattar 38 33 (87) 3 (8) 2 (5) Gari Sikandar 32 24 (75) 8 (25) 0 (0) Wah Village 27 22 (82) 3 (11) 2 (7) Khurram Paracha 25 10 (40) 7 (28) 8 (32) Total 628 416 129 83 % age 66 21 13 ψ( ) give the % share in each category along with number of water samples for irrigation purposes. However, the effect of different 100 Fit qualities of water on soil health and crop yield is also 90 governed by the type of soil, climate and management s 80 Marginall practices (Singh et al., 1992). It is therefore, important to

le -1 70 y fit point out that waters having EC up to 1.25 dS m may be 60 used to raise most of the crops on light textured soils 50 without affecting soil quality (Pervaiz et al., 2003).

r Samp 40

e Chaudhry and Rana (1975) reported that water having < 7.5 t 30 -1 a SAR and 1.25 me L RSC did not create problems to soils -1 W 20 and crops. Irrigation water having EC < 3.0 dS m , SAR <

f 10 10 (mmol L-1)1/2 and RSC < 2.50 me L-1 is safe for coarse

. o 0 textured soils with out creating any potential hazard (WWF, o

N 2007). In general, waters of EC values below 0.75 dS m-1 are satisfactory for irrigation and the use of these waters will not create any problem except some salt sensitive crops. However, the use of unfit water due to high EC will cause Union councils of Taxila salinization. To avoid salinzation, it was proposed to Figure1: Classification of Irrigation water in Taxila increase/decrease the depth of bore to find good quality tehsil water (Yonus, 1977). The farmers can use marginal and unfit water for salt tolerant crops (wheat, sorghum and Discussion and Recommendations barley) and fruit (Guava) trees etc. It is also recommended It was observed that most of the water samples were that on degraded soils, the poor quality irrigation water may unfit due to higher electrical conductivity indicating no be used to grow Eucalyptus and Acacia for timber and fuel, sodicity problem in these waters. This might be due to more and Atriplex spp. for grazing purposes. However, quality of rainfall area and coarse textured soils; the minerals and irrigation water in most of the union councils of Taxila is dissolved salts has been leached to lower profile over a still suitable for raising crops and orchards. period of time. The soils of Rawalpindi district are medium References textured and have well-developed profile containing lime Ali, M.S., S. Mahmood, M.N. Chaudhary and M. Sadiq. concentration at lower depths (Nizami et al., 2004). Unlike 2009. Irrigation quality of ground water of twenty the rivers of Punjab plains, the riverbeds lie far below the villages in Lahore district. Soil and Environment 28(1): general level of land, which prevents infiltration of river 17-23. flow to general water table (Soil Survey of Pakistan, 1967). Chaudhry, H.G. and G. M. Rana. 1975. Effect of tubewell The presence of lime in soil parent material, deep water irrigation on the SCARP-I, CMC Pub. No. 27, table and less infiltration of river flow to ground water table WAPDA, Lahore. might increase the EC and resultantly water becomes unfit Ground water quality for irrigation 171

Idris, M. and M. Shafiq. 1999. Irrigation quality of Pervaiz, Z., S.S.H. Kazmi and K.H Gill. 2003. groundwater in Quetta division of Balochistan. Characterization of ground water in Gujrat district. Pakistan Journal of Soil Science 16:119-122. Pakistan Journal of Soil Science 22: 48-54. Kashif, S.R., M. Akram, M. Yaseen and S. Ali. 2009. Singh, R.B., P.S. Minhas and R.K. Gupta. 1992. Effect of Studies on heavy metals status and their uptake by high salinity and SAR waters on salinization, vegetable by in adjoining areas of Hudiara drain in sodication and yield of pearl-millet and wheat. Lahore. Soil and Environment 28(1): 7-12. Agricultural Water Management 21:93-105. Khalid, R., T. Mahmood, Z. Abbas, M.D. Dilshad and M.I. Soil Fertility Survey and Soil Testing Institute. 2007. Lone. 2003. Ground water quality of irrigation water in Annual Report 2006-07. Soil Fertility Survey and Soil Rawalpindi district. Pakistan Journal of Soil Science Testing Institute, Rawalpindi. p: 6-7. 22: 43-47. Soil Survey of Pakistan. 1967. Reconnaissance Soil Survey Malik, D.M., M.A Khan and T.A. Chaudhry. 1984. Report, Rawalpindi district. Soil Survey of Pakistan, Analysis manual for soils plants and water. Soil Lahore. p: 11. Fertility Survey and Soil Testing Institute, Lahore. 74p. U.S. Salinity Laboratory Staff. 1954. Diagnosis and Nizami, M.I., M. Shafiq, A. Rashid and A. Aslam. 2004. Improvement of Saline and Alkali Soils. USDA Hand The soils and their agricultural development potential book 60, Washington, D.C., USA. in Pothwar. WRRI and NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan. p: WWF. 2007. National surface water classification criteria 5-7. and irrigation water quality guidelines for Pakistan. Page, A.L., R.H. Miller and D.R. Keeney. 1982. Methods Hudiara drain project phase II funded by UNDP under of Soil Analysis Part II, 2nd Ed. American Society of GEF small grants programme. Agronomy. No. 9. Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Yonus, M.M. 1977. Water quality in Indus plain. Keynote paper. p.283-292. In: Proceeding Seminar on Water Management for Agriculture, November 15-7, 1977, Lahore, Pakistan.