Journal of Engineering Geology

Groundwater is the sole source of accessible resource for agriculture in Zeviercherry- Kherran plains and water quality often falls in brackish group. In order to determine the source of salinity and hydrochemical processess affecting groundwater environment of the area, 61 groundwater samples were taken for hydrochemical analysis and composite diagrams (two variant diagrams of total concentration verses concentration of major ions and two variant diagrams of chloride verses concentration of bicarbonate, sulfate and sodium), Factor analysis and saturation index of calcite, dolomite and gypsum were applied. The data indicated that groundwater is supersaturated with respect to calcite and dolomite and with respect to gypsum saturated to under saturation. Regional dissolution of gypsum, anhydride and local dissolution of sodium chloride are important controlling factors of groundwater salinity of the area.