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<p>The northern Nile Delta in Egypt faces significant environmental challenges due to rising groundwater levels, exacerbated by climate change and human activities. This study evaluated the feasibility of groundwater pumping as a solution to reduce the water table in the northeastern Nile Delta. The assessment focused on groundwater quality and usability using multivariate statistical analyses and water quality indices. Cluster analysis identified three distinct water types, with most samples falling into high-salinity clusters. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that two components explained 67.27% of the total variance in groundwater quality. The first component, accounting for 51.19% of the variance, was strongly associated with salinity-related parameters, while the second component (16.08% of the variance) was linked to nutrients, indicating issues with saltwater intrusion and nutrient pollution. The Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WAWQI) classified 93.3% of samples as unsuitable for drinking purposes. Similarly, 93.3% of samples fell under the "severe restriction" category for irrigation use according to the Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI). Industrial use assessment, based on the corrosivity ratio (CR) and foaming coefficient (F), showed 93.3% of samples as inappropriate due to high corrosivity and problematic foaming action. Additionally, TDS, NH<sub>3</sub>, NO<sub>2</sub><sup>−</sup>, NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>, and Mn exceeded recommended levels for freshwater aquaculture. These results suggest that groundwater pumping in the northeastern Nile Delta may not be an appropriate strategy for reducing the water table. The poor quality and limited usability of the extracted water present significant challenges for disposal or treatment, potentially creating additional environmental problems. However, innovative approaches such as brackish water aquaculture or mixing groundwater with high-quality surface water offer potential solutions for managing the water table and creating new economic opportunities in the region. The study concludes that addressing waterlogging in this region requires an integrated approach that includes the application of several alternative strategies such as subsurface drainage systems and biodrainage systems. This research emphasizes the need for comprehensive assessment before implementing water table reduction strategies in complex coastal aquifer systems.</p>

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Groundwater quality assessment for drinking, irrigation, aquaculture, and industrial uses in the waterlogged northeastern Nile Delta, Egypt: a multivariate statistical approach and water quality indices

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年1月8日

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  • Mohammed Hagage,
  • Abdel Galil A. Hewaidy,
  • Abdulaziz M. Abdulaziz

摘要

The northern Nile Delta in Egypt faces significant environmental challenges due to rising groundwater levels, exacerbated by climate change and human activities. This study evaluated the feasibility of groundwater pumping as a solution to reduce the water table in the northeastern Nile Delta. The assessment focused on groundwater quality and usability using multivariate statistical analyses and water quality indices. Cluster analysis identified three distinct water types, with most samples falling into high-salinity clusters. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that two components explained 67.27% of the total variance in groundwater quality. The first component, accounting for 51.19% of the variance, was strongly associated with salinity-related parameters, while the second component (16.08% of the variance) was linked to nutrients, indicating issues with saltwater intrusion and nutrient pollution. The Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WAWQI) classified 93.3% of samples as unsuitable for drinking purposes. Similarly, 93.3% of samples fell under the "severe restriction" category for irrigation use according to the Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI). Industrial use assessment, based on the corrosivity ratio (CR) and foaming coefficient (F), showed 93.3% of samples as inappropriate due to high corrosivity and problematic foaming action. Additionally, TDS, NH3, NO2−, NO3−, and Mn exceeded recommended levels for freshwater aquaculture. These results suggest that groundwater pumping in the northeastern Nile Delta may not be an appropriate strategy for reducing the water table. The poor quality and limited usability of the extracted water present significant challenges for disposal or treatment, potentially creating additional environmental problems. However, innovative approaches such as brackish water aquaculture or mixing groundwater with high-quality surface water offer potential solutions for managing the water table and creating new economic opportunities in the region. The study concludes that addressing waterlogging in this region requires an integrated approach that includes the application of several alternative strategies such as subsurface drainage systems and biodrainage systems. This research emphasizes the need for comprehensive assessment before implementing water table reduction strategies in complex coastal aquifer systems.