Changes in quality of groundwater with seasonal fluctuations: an example from Ghor Safi area, southern Dead Sea coastal aquifers, Jordan

Introduction The alluvial fan along the eastern and southern m argins of the D ead Sea (hereafter denoted D S) consists of fine to coarse-grained siliclastic sand and pebble-size gravel w ith thin intercalations of lam inated m arl of H olocene age (Pow e…

Changes in quality of groundwater with seasonal fluctuations: an example from Ghor Safi area, southern Dead Sea coastal aquifers, Jordan

The demand for water resources in the area south of the Dead Sea due t o continued development, especially at the Arab Potash Company(APC) for producti on and domestic purposes necessitates that water quality in the area be monitore d and evaluated based on the local geology and hydrogeology. The objective of th is paper is to monitor seasonal fluctuations of groundwater and to determine how fluctuation in the water levels will affect the groundwater quality. Groundwate r levels were found to be influenced by rainfall and pumping of water from the w ells for domestic and industrial use. Twenty water samples were collected from d ifferent wells and analyzed for major chemical constituents both in pre- and pos t-seasons to determine the quality variation. Chemical constituents are signific antly increased after post-season recharge. According to the overall assessment of the area, water quality was found to be useful for drinking, irrigation and i ndustry.