Groundwater quality assessment of the shallow aquifers west of the Nile Delta (Egypt) using multivariate statistical and geostatistical techniques

Abstract

Extensive urban, agricultural and industrial expansions on the western fringe of the Nile Delta of Egypt have exerted much load on the water needs and lead to groundwater quality deterioration. Documenting the spatial variation of the groundwater quality and their controlling factors is vital to ensure sustainable water management and safe use. A comprehensive dataset of 451 shallow groundwater samples were collected in 2011 and 2012. On-site field measurements of the total dissolved solids (TDS), electric conductivity (EC), pH, temperature, as well as lab-based ionic composition of the major and trace components were performed. Groundwater types were derived and the suitability for irrigation use was evaluated. Multivariate statistical techniques of factor analysis and K-means clustering were integrated with the geostatistical semi-variogram modeling for evaluating the spatial hydrochemical variations and the driving factors as well as for hydrochemical pattern recognition.