Evaluation of the Groundwater and Irrigation Quality in the Zhuoshui River Alluvial Fan between Wet and Dry Seasons

The Zhuoshui River alluvial fan is one of the most important groundwater and agricultural areas in Taiwan. Abundant groundwater resources are the main source of domestic water supply and irrigation water. However, groundwater recharge and groundwater quality have been greatly affected under extreme climate and hydrological conditions. Hence, the quality of groundwater has been a topic of concern to the public. In this study, groundwater level and groundwater quality data of the Zhuoshui River alluvial fan from 2008 to 2020 were used to divide the wet and dry season groups according to the sampling dates. An independent samples t-test was used to evaluate the differences in the mean groundwater level and the mean concentration between the wet and dry seasons. The test results show that there was no statistically significant difference in the mean groundwater level between the wet and dry seasons. This may result from the time lag effects of groundwater recharge. Except for groundwater temperature, bicarbonate, and total organic carbon (TOC), there were no significant differences among the mean concentrations of other groundwater quality parameters in Aquifer 1 and Aquifer 2 between the wet and dry seasons. In terms of the alluvial fan location, although the soil texture, land utilization, cropping systems, and hydrogeology of the proximal, mid-, and distal fan may affect groundwater quality variations, it seems that only Aquifer 1 is affected by surface water infiltration, resulting in significant differences in mean groundwater temperature, mean concentrations of major ions, and nitrate between the wet and dry seasons, whereas Aquifer 2 is less affected. At the same time, owing to the geological conditions and intensive cultivation in the Zhuoshui River alluvial fan, nitrate and arsenic could represent a high risk to the public's health if groundwater is used as a source for domestic water supply or irrigation water in the distal fan area, whether in the wet season or dry season. Meanwhile, due to global climate change and uneven droughts and floods, the hydrological conditions of the so-called wet season and dry season are obviously different from those in the past. Compared with precipitation, groundwater level may be a better indicator for understanding variations in groundwater quality.

Automated summary

The Zhuoshui River alluvial fan is an important area for groundwater and agriculture in Taiwan. This study analyzed groundwater level and quality data from 2008 to 2020 and found no significant difference in groundwater level between wet and dry seasons. Except for groundwater temperature, bicarbonate, and total organic carbon, there were no significant differences in other groundwater quality parameters between wet and dry seasons for Aquifer 1 and Aquifer 2. Aquifer 1 was affected by surface water infiltration, leading to significant differences in mean groundwater temperature, major ion concentrations, and nitrate between wet and dry seasons. Nitrate and arsenic pose health risks if groundwater is used for domestic water supply or irrigation in the distal fan area. Climate change has also affected hydrological conditions, making groundwater level a better indicator for understanding groundwater quality variations.