Spatial Analysis of Groundwater Quality in the Bashiqa District and its Suitability for Drinking and Irrigation

This study aimed to assess the quality of groundwater in the Bashiqa district of Nineveh Governorate, northern Iraq, and its suitability for drinking and irrigation. It also sought to create spatial models using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Samples were collected from 20 wells distributed across the area during September 2024 and January 2025. The Water Quality Index (WQI) was used to assess the suitability of the water for drinking. Several indices were also used to evaluate water quality for irrigation, including SAR, KR, PI, RCS, Na%, MAR, RSC, and Wilcox and Richard plots. Significant variation was observed in the distribution of central cation and anion concentrations across the research area, attributed to the region's diverse geological formations. The WQI results for drinking water were published: During the summer, 5% of water samples were rated as excellent, 60% as good, 25% as poor, and 10% as unsuitable. In winter, 10% of water samples were rated as excellent, 55% as good, 35% as poor, and 10% as unsuitable. Several wells were found to be unsuitable for drinking, because many of the studied standards exceeded the limits set by the World Health Organization. Water quality in the area ranged from suitable to unsuitable for irrigation. The unsuitability of some wells for irrigation was attributed to high electrical conductivity values according to the Wilcox and Richard irrigation classifications.