Suitability of Groundwater Quality for Irrigational use between Silkanth and Kundgaon , North of River Narmada in the Upper Alluvial Plains of Narmada Valley , District Sehore and Dewas , M . P . , India

Groundwater is one of the earth’s most widely distributed resources and is consistently catering to the requirement of the agricultural irrigation. In the present study, an attempt has been made to understand the hydrochemistry and its agricultural water quality of groundwater between Silkhanth and Kundgaon, North of river Narmada, Madhya Pradesh. During the course of water quality studies of the area,17 groundwater samples were collected and chemically analysed. Results obtained from water chemistry were used in the determination of different irrigational specifications to appraise the agricultural quality of groundwater. Important specifications like Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC), Soluble Sodium Percentage (SSP) and Kelly’s Ratio (KR) are used for decisive the appropriateness of groundwater for the agricultural purposes. Result shows that the majority of groundwater belongs to Medium to -High Saline and Low sodium water. As per the magnesium ratio classification, the ground waters of the study area has no magnesium hazards. Kelly’s ratio shows that majority of groundwater belongs to suitable class. As per the classification based on RSC the groundwater belongs to Safe class. As per the guidelines of Ayers and Westcot, majority of water have slight to moderate toxicity with respect to Nitrate and their use is restricted for semitolerant crops. Article history Received: 10 December 2017 Accepted: 26 December 2017


Introduction
Groundwater is an important natural resource for the growth of any civilization and dependable and cost-effective condition of agricultural water supply in the country.It thus plays a imperative role in human being, aquatic and global ecosystems Excellent quality of irrigation water is quite essential for achieving maximum crop efficiency.During recent past, studies on agricultural water quality have been reported by various workers in the alluvial plains of Narmada valley in India like Dhiman, (2014), Maghanga et al., (2013), Jhariya et al., (2012), Ravikumar et al, (2011), Sharma et al, (2011), Jayalakshmi Devi et al,(2009), Jain (1993) and Parashar, (1994Parashar, ( , 2001)

Material and Methods
The hydrochemistry of collected groundwater samples from both during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon period are presented in Table -1.The samples were collected in pre cleaned polyethylene containers of one liter capacity.The samples were collected from those wells only which are widely used for drinking and irrigational purposes.The study of water samples was carried out by using Flame photometer, Hach Spectrophotometer and titration methods.The physical properties like colour, temperature, odour, and taste of water samples were recorded at the sampling stations during field work.The pH of the water samples was determined by pH meter.Conductivity is measured in micro mohs per cm at 25 o C by conductivity meter.The carbonate alkalinity was determined by titrimetric method using phenolphthalein as indicator.The bicarbonate was determined by titrating sample with standard acid solution using methyl orange indicator.Total hardness as CaCO 3 was determined by EDTA titrimetric method using Erichrome Black-T indicator.Ca content was calculated from Ca hardness by multiplying with a factor 0.432 and the results were expressed in mg/l.Magnesium content was calculated from Mg hardness by using a formula and results expressed in mg/l.Chloride concentration was determined by titration method involving formation of reddish brown complex by adding potassium chromate which is titrated against silver nitrate solution.Nitrate is determined by phenol disulphuric acid method as per APHA (1995) using Hach DR-4000 UV-Vis Spectrophotometer.

hydrochemistry of Study Area
The pH value of groundwater of the study area varies from 7.5 to 7.9 in pre-monsoon and 7.0 to 7.8 in postmonsoon period which shows that water is slightly alkaline in nature.The Electrical conductivity (EC) values in groundwater vary from 370 µmohs/cm to 910 µmohs/cm and 340 µmohs/cm to 880 µmohs/cm in pre-monsoon post-monsoon period respectively.Calcium content in groundwater varies from 32 mg/l to 70 mg/l in pre-monsoon and 27 mg/l to 55 mg/l in post-monsoon periods.The Magnesium concentration in groundwater varies from 10 mg/l to 26 mg/l in pre-monsoon and 08 mg/l to 24 mg/l in post-monsoon period.The sodium content in groundwater varies from 14 mg/l to 76 mg/l in premonsoon and 9 mg/l to 70 mg/l in post-monsoon period.The Potassium content in groundwater is varies from 1 mg/l to 7.3 mg/l in pre-monsoon and 0.6 mg/l to 6.7 mg/l in post-monsoon period.The total hardness in terms of CaCO 3 ranges from 140 mg/l to 233 mg/l in pre-monsoon and 125mg/l to 218 mg/l in post-monsoon period.
Bicarbonate is the predominant anion in the groundwater of the study area.Bicarbonate concentration in the groundwater varies from 105 mg/l to 255 mg/l in pre-monsoon and 90 mg/l to 240 mg/l in post-monsoon period.The carbonate content is found to be absent in all the samples of groundwater, collected during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods.
The chloride concentration in groundwater varies from 46 mg/l to 96 mg/l in pre-monsoon and 41 mg/l to 90 mg/l in post-monsoon period.The Sulphate concentration in the groundwater of the study area varies from 12 mg/l to 62 mg/l in pre-monsoon and 7 mg/l to 57 mg/l in post-monsoon period.In the present investigation, the Nitrate content in the groundwater varies from 18 mg/l to 62 mg/l in premonsoon and 12 mg/l to 57mg/l in post-monsoon period.The Phosphate concentration in groundwater of the study area varies from 0.17mg/l to 0.32 mg/l in pre-monsoon and 0.16mg/l to 0.29 mg/l in postmonsoon period.

Irrigational Water Quality
Various specifications have been proposed from time to time by different workers to evaluate the agricultural water quality.In the present study the specifications as proposed by Kelley et   From the above mentioned discussion and interpretation of the hydrochemistry and irrigational specifications, it can be concluded that the groundwater of the study area is quite suitable for irrigational purposes.

Table 3 : Tabular Classification of Groundwater of the study area.
SAR, TDS, Sodium, Bicarbonate, Chloride and Nitrate concentration of groundwater of the study area with the values proposed in Ayers and Westcot water quality guidelines reveals that the groundwater belongs to None restriction category with respect to EC,TDS,SAR, Sodium, Bicarbonate, and Chloride and may be safely used for surface and sprinkler irrigation.ConclusionsAgricultural water quality have been evaluated on the basis of Salinity hazard, Sodium hazard, Magnesium hazard and Bicarbonate hazard.According to the classification of groundwater with respect to SAR and EC, the majority of groundwater of the study area belongs to belongs to medium to high salinity class and Low sodium water.Kelly's ratio shows that 88% of groundwater in pre and post monsoon belongs to suitable class.Classification based on RSC clearly indicates that all the groundwater of the study area belongs to Safe class and thus they are suitable for agricultural purposes.As per the magnesium ratio classification, all the groundwater of the study area belongs to suitable class and there are no magnesium hazards in groundwater of the study area.As per Ayers and Westcot water quality guidelines the groundwater belongs to None restriction category with respect to EC, TDS, SAR, Sodium, Bicarbonate, and Chloride and may be safely used for surface and sprinkler irrigation.However, there is slight to moderate restriction with respect to nitrate and their use is restricted for sensitive crops.