Hydrogeochemical Investigations and Water Uses for Qaladze-Sangaser Area, Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

The main supply of drinking water in the Qaladze-Sangaser in the Iraqi Kurdistan region is groundwater. More water is needed as an increase in the number of population for home, industrial, environmental, recreational, and agricultural uses. The importance of a hydrochemistry study is highlighted by the fact that the chemistry of groundwater can be strongly related to the climate, geology, and water source of the area. Two periods are selected to collect 72 groundwater samples as a total at maximum and minimum recharge periods for analyzing the physicochemical parameters including pH, EC, total dissolved solids (TDS), major cations and anions to evaluate the groundwater quality and potential ions source in the groundwater. The groundwater is of type calcium-magnesium bicarbonate. With the exception of one groundwater sample, all water samples are fit for human consumption, and suitable for industry, livestock, poultry, and agriculture purposes. The samples exhibit low RSC (< 1.5 meq/l) and low sodium hazard (SAR < 9) which is of good quality and suitable for using in irrigation purposes. The permeability index of all groundwater samples is rated as excellent to good, indicating good water quality for irrigation. According to RSC results, there is no risk from sodium since it is less than 1.5 meq/l, which is within the permissible limit.