Hydrogeochemistry and quality of groundwater of coastal unconfined aquifer in Amol–Ghaemshahr plain, Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran

Groundwater of the unconfined aquifer (1,100 sq. km) of a two-tier coastal aquifer located in the Amol–Ghaemshahr plain, Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran, is classified into fresh and brackish water types. Fresh groundwater (FGW) samples (n = 36) are characterized by Ca2+ > Na+ > Mg2+ > K+ and HCO3− > Cl− > SO42− > NO3−. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient matrices, factor analysis data, values of the C-ratio (av. = 0.89) and CAI and values of the molar ratios of Ca2+/HCO3−, Ca2+/SO42−, Mg2+/HCO3− and Mg2+/SO42− indicate that the ionic load in the FGW is derived essentially from carbonic acid-aided weathering of carbonates and aluminosilicates, saline/sea water trapped in the aquifer sediments (now admixed with the groundwater) and ion exchange reactions. Values of the CAI and Na+/Cl− molar ratio suggest that the part of the Ca2+ (±Mg2+) content in 23 FGW samples is derived from clay minerals of the aquifer matrix, and part of the Na+ content in 20, 12, and 3 FGW samples is derived, respectively, from alkali feldspar weathering, clay minerals of the aquifer matrix and rain water and/or halite. Brackish groundwater (BGW) samples (n = 4) contain Cl− as the dominant anion and their average total ionic concentration (38.65 meq/L) is 1.79 times higher than that of the FGW samples (21.50 meq/L). BGW pockets were generated by non-conservative mixing of FGW with the upconed saline water from the underlying saline groundwater zone of the semi-confined aquifer along bore wells involved in excessive extraction of groundwater from the unconfined aquifer. Groundwater belongs essentially to “high salinity, low sodium” irrigation water class.