Hydrochemistry as Indicator to Select the Suitable Locations for Water Storage in Tharthar Valley, Al-Jazira Area, Iraq

Abstract

Four locations were chosen according to geomorphologic and engineering criterion to store the water on the midstream of Tharthar valley, water samples were collected from the four locations to evaluate the hydrochemical properties as indicator to select the more suitable location, these locations are Hatra, Abu-Hamam, Tlol Al-Baj and Al-Sukkariah from the north to the south respectively. Also, the groundwater samples were collected from two shallow wells on the banks. The samples were analyzed to determine the concentrations of most common anions and cations in the water Ca<sup>2+</sup>, Mg<sup>2+</sup>, Na<sup>+</sup>, K<sup>+</sup>, CO<sub>3</sub><sup style="margin-left:-7px;">2-</sup>, HCO<sup>3-</sup>, Cl<sup>–</sup>, SO<sub>4</sub><sup style="margin-left:-7px;">2+</sup>. Also, pH, EC and TDS were measured. The results reflect high variations in concentrations of the soluble materials, the concentrations of these components are highly increased in locations of Tlol Al-Baj and Al-Sukkariah in comparison with the locations of Hatra and Abu-Hamam. The variation in geology of the area along the valley was represented a main role on the quality of water. These results can help to select the suitable locations of small dam (dams) to store the water in the valley and prevent the problem of salinity. According to the results, the northern part of midstream (north of Abu-Hamam) is suitable for water storage and the dam construction. While the locations of the downstream enriched by local sources of salts

Innovated Method to Estimate the Water Income in the Section of Tharthar Valley near the Site of Hatra Proposed Dam

“…There are no detailed hydrological studies to estimate the water income in the proposed dam site, and everything wrote about it, focus on some preliminary information dispersed within reports and regional studies, including a study [3], which stated some preliminary data on the annual discharge in several locations on the valley, [4] determine the reservoir of groundwater, and subdivided the basin to hydrological sub basins, [5] achieve a study on the investment of groundwater in Tharthar upstream area and its impacts on human activities, the morphometric properties of Tharthar upstream area studied by [6], the results used for the selection of proposed sites for the establishment of small dam. The mathematical model build by [7] to simulate the upper groundwater in the northern part of Tharthar basin, [8], divide the northern part of Tharthar valley basin to six subasins, and use the climate data to estimate the annual discharge of the basin, while [9] studied the hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of groundwater in Tharthar basin near Hatra area, and develop a mathematical model to simulate the hydrogeological conditions after the construction of the proposed dam, [10] studied the geotechnical properties of the rocks in the valley near Hatra city to evaluate their suitability for the construction of Hatra proposed dam, hydrochemistry of the valley studied by [1] and used as a criterion for the selection of suitable sites for the storage of water in the valley by small dams. These studies were unanimous on the existence of huge amounts of water that takes place during the rainfall season in the Tharthar valley near Hatra Bridge and go without the benefit of them.…”

“…The after the rainstorms in Hatra area, and its neighboring areas. 9-6 samples were collected from the valley water (1 sample from each flood), as in plate (1). Plastic containers of 2.25 liters where used to collect the water samples from the same location, the containers closed to prevent the exit of the water, then the containers labeled by date and time of the flood, and taken to the laboratory for tests of chemical properties.…”

“…It is difficult to access sufficient water, in the absence of integrated management of water resources, which required detailed strategic studies for encouraging seasonal valleys for storage and investment such as Tharthar Valley, and explain the possibility of recycling the water to the dry period, the study will discuss the ways to invest and develop the water resources. Tharthar Valley basin located at northwestern of Iraq, and passes through the Hatra town in the province of Nineveh, within the arid and semi-arid region, it is one of the promise basins for water harvesting, by construction of engineering project such as small dam, to control the water resources in the valley north of Hatra town [1]. The valley extended from the slopes of Sinjar Mount on the northwestern border of Iraq and descended toward the south with slight slope towards the east, and after passing the old Hatra on the west side, it passes near Makhoul Mount which recharge the valley by rain water, then continue the slope towards the south until end on Tharthar Lake that away about 125Km from Baghdad, the average length of Tharthar basin more than 300Km and the average width about (95Km), either the length of the valley is more than (225Km), while the level of the stream is about (400m.a.s.l) at its source, then the level of bottom of the valley down gradually to reaches (160m.a.s.l) at Hatra and about (3m.b.s.l) at the lowest point of the bottom of Tharthar depression, the region between the Tharthar beginning to the proposed dam site characterized by simple terrain in general, with some scattered hills, due to the lack of impact of tectonic movements [2].…”

Hydrogeological Conditions and Mathematical Model of the Area Surrounding Hatra Suggested dam, Northwest Iraq

“…Regular grid was selected for the mathematical model of the study area, which is composed of ( 6030 In those cases, the groundwater level maps explain the changes from the groundwater level map before the water level rises in the valley gradually, as the contour lines move towards the bottom of the valley as in Figure (5), and the reason is that the rise of the water level in the valley leads to a gradual rise of the groundwater level, and in order to know the extension of the effect of the valley at this stage, the difference between the maps of groundwater levels before and after the rise of the level in the valley was calculated, and the mapped. As shown in Figure (6).…”

“…While [4] studied the morphometric properties of the upper Tharthar basin, he used the results of the study to select the proposed sites for the construction of a small dam on the valley and recommended three proposed sites near Hatra, around the hypothetical location of the dam in the mathematical model in the current study. [5], conducted a study on the hydrochemical of valley Tharthar to adopt it as a criterion for choosing suitable sites for water storage in the valley through small dams, and the results showed high changes in the concentrations of salts as these components increase south of Hatra city compared to Hatra and Abu Hamam sites (Abu -Hammam).…”