Assessment of Water Quality and Quantity of Surface and Subsurface Drainage System in the Command Area of Bareji Distributary Mirpurkhas, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

The global environment is changing every day due to human exploitation of nature, leading to the depletion of water resources. Furthermore, rapid population growth, the expansion of irrigation areas, urbanization, and industrialization are increasing the pressure on water resources. The end-user or lower riparian on the Indus Basin irrigation system of Sindh province is facing a similar water scarcity issue. Therefore, to cope with this issue, the quality and quantity of drainage water quality in the command area of Bareji Distributary Mirpurkhas (BDM) have been assessed in this study. Drainage facilities in this command area were divided into two parts; i) surface drainage and ii) subsurface (tile) drainage. Further three surfaces (4L, 4LA and 3L) and five sub-surfaces (3L-21, 3L-23, 3L-24, SD-22 and SD- 24) were taken into account. Different quality parameters were analyzed, followed by SAR, D.O., pH, temperature, E.C., hardness, alkalinity, and TDS. Results showed that the drainage effluent is within the acceptable limits of the World Health Organization (WHO), except for the 3L-sub drain. It can be used for irrigation, fisheries, and livestock purpose. The quality of the 3L-sub drain can be periodically improved by diluting with the freshwater and recommended ratios accordingly.