Abstract
Dissolution of evaporite formations, emergence of salty water springs, and intrusion of deep saline waters are important causes in changing the quality of surface water. The study area is part of the reservoir and downstream of Chamshir Dam, which is located in watershed of the Zohreh River 20 km southeast of Gachsaran City (southwest Iran). To construct powerhouse and related structures for supplying water to agricultural lands located in downstream of dam, water quality of Zohreh River was studied by eight sampling stations in the study area. Early studies showed that water quality of the Zohreh River decreases severely downstream of the Chamshir Dam. Spatial variations diagram of major ions, Piper and composition diagrams of water samples in selected stations mark the presence of two slight and major contaminating zones at sampling station R4 and R5. In these zones, concentration of Ca, SO4 and Na, Cl ions increase suddenly. Results of hydrogeological, hydrochemical, lithological and tectonics studies showed that even though there are several low discharges springs in the contaminated zone they cannot be related to surface dissolution of evaporate layers by Zohreh River. There is an important fault zone including Chamshir faults I and II in the contamination zones through which intrusion of sulfate brackish and chloride brine waters occur along the fault zone and then enter Zohreh River below its base level. In the absence of any surface evidence, the fault zone is the main cause of salinity. Evaluation of water balance salinity in contaminated zones shows that the discharge rate of saline waters to the river is not low and cannot be separated. These findings show that there are serious restrictions upon the purposes of the project.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Public Health Association (APHA) (1998) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 19th edn. APHA, Washington DC
Banks D, Markland H, Smith PV, Mendez C, Rodriguez J, Huerta A, Saether OM (2004) Distribution, salinity and pH dependence of elements in surface waters of the catchment areas of the Salars of Coipasa and Uyuni, Bolivian Altiplano. J Geochem Explor 84:141–166
Benavente J, Carrasco F (1985) Influence of evaporite karst in the streamwater quality of Guadalhorce River (Andalucia, Spain). Le Grotte d’Italia XII, pp 39–48
Berberian M (1995) Master “Blind” thrust faults hidden under the zagros folds: active basement tectonics and surface morphotectonics. Tectonophysics 241:193–224
Brown E, Skougstad MW, Fishmen MJ (1983) Method for collection and analyzing of water samples for dissolved minerals and gases. US Government Printing Office, Washington
Calaforra JM (1998) Karstology of Gypsum. Universidad de Almeria, Almeria
Chiesi M, Waele JD, Forti P (2010) Origin and evolution of a salty Gypsum-anhydrite karst spring: the case of Poiano (Northern Apennines, Italy). Hydrogeol J. doi:10.1007/s1004001005762
Cloutier V (2004) Origin and geochemical evolution of groundwater in Paleozoic Basses—Laurentides sedimentary rock aquifer system St. Lawrence Lowlands, Quebec, Canada. PhD Thesis, INRS—Eau, Terre and Environment, Quebec, Canada (in French and English)
Crain LJ (1969) Ground-water pollution from natural gas and oil production in New York. US geological survey report of investigation, no. 5, p 15
Djabri L, Rouabhia A, Hani A, Lamouroux CH, Pulido-Bosch A (2008) Origin of water salinity in a lake and coastal aquifer system. Environ Geol 54:565–573
Domenico PA, Schwartz FW (1990) Physical and chemical hydrogeology. John Willey, New York, p 824
Fuhriman DK, Barton JR (1971) Ground-water pollution in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. US environmental protection agency, office of research and monitoring, water pollution contorl research, Series report no. 16060 ERU 12/71, p 249
Ghobadi MH (2007) Karst engineering geology. Bu-Ali Sina University Press, Hamedan (in Persian)
Güler C, Thyne G, McCray JE, Turner AK (2002) Evaluation and graphical and multivariate statistical methods for classification of water chemistry data. Hydrogeol J 10:455–474
Hem JD (1989) Study and interpretation of the chemical characteristics of natural water, 3rd edn. US Geol Surv Water Supply Pap 2254:263
Hussain M, Ahmed SM, Abderrahman W (2008) Cluster analysis and quality assessment of logged water at an irrigation project. Eastern Saudi Arabia. J Environ Manag 86:297–307
Johnson KS, Brokaw AL, Gilbert JF, Saberian A, Snow RH, Walters RF (1977) Summary report on salt dissolution review meeting, March 29–30, 1977. Union carbide corporation, nuclear division, office of waste isolation, Report Y/OWI/TM-31, p 10
Kalantari N, Nasseri H (2001) Groundwater quality of Ghereso aquifer system in Northern Iran. In: Third conference of groundwater quality, Sheffield University, Sheffield, pp 219–225
Kardavani P (1992) Issues and reorigins of Water in Iran. In: Salty waters, problems and methods to use them, vol II. Qoms publication, Tehran (in Persian)
Karimian A, Jafarzadeh N, Nabi Zadeh R, Afkhami M (2007) Preparing the database of water quality parameters of river, case study of Zohreh River. In: The seventh international river engineering symposium, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz (in Persian)
Kim DH, Jenkins BM (2008) Rates of drainage-water evaporite salt dissolution in water. Desalination 227:306–313
Kloppmann W, Egrel PN, Casanova J, Klinge H, Schelkes K, Guerrot C (2001) Halite dissolution derived brines in the vicinity of a Permian salt dome (N German Basin). Evidence from boron, strontium, oxygen, and hydrogen isotopes. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 65:4087–4101
Lugli S (2001) Timing of post-depositional events in the Burano Formation of the Secchia valley (Upper Triassic, Northern Apennines, clues from Gypsum-anhydrite transitions and carbonate metasomatism. Sediment Geol 140:107–122
Lugli S (2009) The geological history of the Triassic Gypsum in the Secchia Valley. Memorie dell’Istituto Italiano di Speleologia, 22, Istituto Italiano di Speleologia, Bologna
Mandel S, Shiftan ZL (1980) Groundwater reorigins investigation and development. Academic Press, New York
Marie A, Vengosh A (2001) Origins of salinity in groundwater from Jericho area, Jordan Vally. Groundw J 39:240–248
Mazor E (2004) Chemical and isotopic groundwater hydrology, 3rd edn. Marcel Dekker, New York, p 453
Meinzer OE (1923) The occurrence of ground water in the United States with a discussion of principles. In: US geological survey water supply paper, vol 489, Washington DC
Mohammadi-Behzad HR (2011) Determination of recharge origin and evaluation physico-chemical chracteristics of Bibitalkhon karst spring. M.Sc Thesis, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz (in Persian)
Mondal NC, Singh VP, Singh VS, Saxena VK (2010) Determining the interaction between groundwater and saline water through groundwater major ions chemistry. J Hydrol 388:100–111
Motiei H (1993) Geology of Iran, Stratigraphy of Zagros. Geological survey publications and mineral exploration of Iran (in Persian)
Nejati MH (1994) The causes of salinity Gamban karstic springs of Tashtak lake. M.Sc Thesis, Faculty of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz (in Persian)
Pecka AJ, Hatton T (2003) Salinity and the discharge of salts from catchments in Australia. J Hydrol 272:191–202
Piper AM (1953) A graphical procedure in the geochemical interpretation of water analysis. USGS Ground Water Note 12
Pulido-Bosch A (1993) Some Spanish karstic aquifers. University of Granada, Granad
Rezaei M (1998) Hydrogeology of chlorokarstic springs in Rahmat anticline. M.Sc Thesis, Faculty of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz (in Persian)
Soil Mechanics Laboratory Equipment of Yasooj (2008) Report of soil mechanics and geotechnical studies of Chamshir Dam. Mohab Ghods Consulting Engineers, Work No. 070030011, Iran (in Persian)
Stober I, Bucher K (1999) Deep groundwater in the crystalline basement of the Black Forest region. Appl Geochem 14:237–254
Stocklin J (1968) Structural history and tectonics of Iran: a review. AAPG Bull 52:1229–1258
Torabi-Kaveh M (2011) Study of evaporative rocks solubility in gachsaran formation in the Chamshir Dam site. M.Sc Thesis, Faculty of Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan (in Persian)
Vengosh A, Rosenthal E (1994) Saline groundwater in Israel: its bearing on the water crisis in the country. J Hydrol 155:103–124
Xie X, Fan Z, Liu X, Lu Y (2006) Geochemistry of formation water and its implication on over pressured fluid flow in the Dongying Depression of the Bohaiwan Basin. China J Geochem Explor 89:432–435
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the anonymous reviewers for the constructive comments and suggestions which have significantly improved the quality of the paper. The study was supported by Bu-Ali Sina University. Many thanks to Dr. Hamid Reza Zarei from Mahab Ghodss Consulting Engineering Company, for supplying the authors with the geological data of the dam site.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chitsazan, M., Heidari, M., Ghobadi, M.H. et al. The study of the hydrogeological setting of the Chamshir Dam site with special emphasis on the cause of water salinity in the Zohreh River downstream from the Chamshir Dam (southwest of Iran). Environ Earth Sci 67, 1605–1617 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-012-1602-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-012-1602-6