Assessing Groundwater Quality for Multiuse and Geochemical Evolution in the South Banat Area of Serbia, Pannonian Basin

摘要

The study includes an assessment of groundwater quality from one shallow and two deeper aquifers in the Danube left bank, under the conditions of coexistence of the open coal mine, arable lands with increasing irrigation needs and potential regional water supply system for the Banat region. The spatial distribution maps of the targeted parameters were used as a starting point in the identification of nine zones in the study area. The Piper plot and the specific ionic plots pointed out that dissolution of carbonate and silicate minerals, as well as cation exchange, plays a significant role in the groundwater chemistry. Although the geological and hydrogeological complexity of the study area highlighted the considerable vertical and horizontal zonations when it comes to groundwater quality, waters have a desirable quality for drinking while for irrigation the eastern zone of the study area is better. Vertical mixing of shallow and deeper groundwaters confirmed the post-sedimentary faulting and erosion of coal seams in the central part of the study area. Generally, the results of determining the origin and quality of groundwaters throughout the study area could greatly help in making decisions regarding the regional water supply and expansion of irrigated lands in the future.