Hydrochemical and Quality Assessment of Euphrates River Water between Al-Hindiya Barrage and Nasyrah City, Iraq

The hydrogeochemical study (major ions, heavy elements and water quality) is carried out for a section of the Euphrates River water extending between the Hindiya Barrage and Nasiriya City for a distance of 383 km. This is done by choosing eight sites for water samples (in dry and wet periods). Chemical analysis for water samples is conducted for major ions and heavy elements. To analyze the results, a hierarchical statistical analysis is used. It is found that the water samples are distributed into two main groups and three sub-groups, which indicates that there has been mixing of river water with water from another sources (drainage water and salty groundwater). Stiff diagram indicates the predominance of sodium and chlorine ions at the last site (S8). Piper plot shows a state of chemical mixing and that the water types are confined to (Ca-Cl), (Na-Cl), and (Ca-Mg-Cl) classes. Durov diagram indicates that there are chemical mixing processes for types of water as well as ion exchange processes. Through Gibbs diagram, it is found that water samples are distributed in the rock dominance and they tend to the dissolution field than to precipitation dominance. By calculating the heavy metal pollution index of some heavy metals (Pb, Co, Cu, Fe, Cd and Mn), it is found that the water is highly polluted with these heavy metals. From the Welcox and Riverside diagrams, it is found that the river's water quality is deteriorating at sites S6, S7, and S8, and that use of this water is harmful for irrigation.