Integrated approach for the investigation of groundwater quality using hydrochemical and geostatistical analyses in Wadi Fatimah, western Saudi Arabia

The Wadi Fatimah area suffers from a lack of freshwater resources, so this study aimed to analyze the groundwater in region and evaluate its quality for irrigation drinking purposes. Eleven water parameters, including pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), Ca 2+ , HCO −3 NO F − Cl K + Mg SO 2 −4 Na were utilized produce index (WQI). These parameters measured at 100 different chosen locations. spatial distribution map revealed that all are high southern part except . Using correlation matrix, positive is obtained among TDS, addition TDS with From PCA analysis, PCA1, PCA2, PCA3 represent about 52%, 12%, 10% components along area, respectively. PCA1 has low variance than PCA2 PCA3. majority Southern region’s sites went having extremely poor classifications unsuitable water. However, center possesses exceptionally high-quality groundwater. According results current study’s index, presence nitrate fluoride samples was primarily responsible their WQI values. statistics showed higher percentage population had due direct pollutant release, agricultural effects, excessive resource use. offers modeling technique both affordable replicable other areas.