Characterization of Ground Water Quality for Irrigation in Tehsil and District Layyah, Punjab Pakistan

Water quality assesment through analysis is pre requisite for its better utilization by crops as it is essential for the maintainance of turgidity, absorption of nutrients and metabolic process of plants. Direct use of unfit irrigation water not only causes severe salinity/sodicity problems in soil but also depress plant growth to alarming level depending upon the extent of dissolved salts. A total of 296 advisory water samples were received/collected from tehsil Layyah during previous three years (2009-10 to 2011-12) , analyzed and categorized according to the suitability criteria of water quality evaluation. Out of 296 water samples, 114(38%) water samples were fit, 79(27%) were marginally fit and 103(35%) were found unfit for irrigation purposes. The analysis data showed that, 95 unfit water samples had electrical conductivity higher than permissible limit (i.e. >1250 µS cm -1 ), 12 samples were found with high SAR (i.e. >10 (m mol L -1 ) 0.5 ), and 47 samples had high RSC (i.e. >2.5 me L -1 ). It can be inferred from data that quality of available ground water in most of the cases is suitable for sustainable crop production and soil health. Guidelines to use these water for irrigation purposes should be based on the soil texture for its best utiliztion and avoid any harmful effects on soil health. The farmers can use marginal and unfit water for salt tolerant crops (wheat, sorghum and barley) and fruit (Guava) trees etc. It is also recommended that on degraded soils, the poor quality irrigation water may be used to grow Eucalyptus and Acacia for timber and fuel, and Atriplex spp. for grazing purposes. Adoption of bio-saline agriculture, addition of farmyard manure/green manure, sheep, goat and fish farming might add to the farmer's income under these condition. (Ashraf M, Khan M.B, Umar F. Characterization of Ground Water Quality for Irrigation in Tehsil and District Layyah, Punjab Pakistan. Nat Sci 2013;11(4):128-132). (ISSN: 1545-0740). http://www.sciencepub.net/nature . 21