Hydrogeochemical characteristics of the Indus river water system

ABSTRACT

The Indus River is the most prominent freshwater source of the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. Glacier/snow melting during the summer season is the main source of water. Here, we are presenting the major ion chemistry of the Indus river water, its tributary rivers, including small streams (nallahs), mainly in the territory of India, to know the overall quality of water, and geochemical processes controlling the solute acquisition and sources of elements in the catchment region. The analytical results indicate that the water samples are mildly acidic to alkaline in nature and have Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ dominance in cationic and HCO₃^- and Cl^- in anionic composition. Overall, alkaline-earth elements (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺) dominate over alkalis (Na⁺ + K⁺), and weak acids (HCO₃^-) exceed strong acids (SO₄^2- + Cl^-) in the river/stream water samples. The hydrogeochemical diagrams, molar ratios, and statistical analysis suggest that carbonate and silicates minerals’ weathering mainly control the solute acquisition process with negligible contribution from marine or anthropogenic sources. Most of the surface water samples are fit for drinking and domestic uses except the hot spring and saline lake waters.

KEYWORDS:

• NW Himalaya
• major ion chemistry
• chemical weathering
• erosion
• water quality
• India

Acknowledgement

We thank the Director, BSIP, Lucknow, for providing the necessary support to carry out this work. We also thank CSIR-CIMFR, Dhanbad, India for providing the required analytical facility to carry out this work. We are grateful to Dr. Mukesh Kumar Mahato, CSIR-CIMFR Dhanbad for his support and encouragement, and the Editor and anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions.

Author contributions

AS designed fieldwork and collected surface water samples. AKS provided the analytical support and worked with AS and AKT during analysis and data interpretation. AS and AKT drafted the present manuscript, and BP, AKS, AS, and AKT delivered full assistance during the preparation and writing of the current manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ashwani Kumar Tiwari

Dr. Ashwani Kumar Tiwari is presently working as an Assistant Professor in the School of Environmental Sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. His teaching and research areas are water resources management and GIS, hydro-geochemistry, pollution of water resources by geogenic and anthropogenic activities, groundwater-seawater interaction and aquifer vulnerability. He has published several research articles in various reputed international and national journals.

Abhay Kumar Singh

Dr. Abhay Kumar Singh is presently working as a Senior Scientist in the Water Resources Management Group at CSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research, Dhanbad, India. He joined this institute in 1999 as a Scientist ‘B’ and was involved in several projects sponsored by mining industries pertaining to sustainable mining and management of natural resources. He has made a good contribution towards the understanding of the earth surface processes and impacts of mining and industrial activities on natural resources and their management.

Binita Phartiyal

Dr. Binita Phartiyal is an active worker in the field of Quaternary palaeoclimate, landscape evolution, neotectonics and human-climate interaction in cold arid deserts (Poles-Arctic, Antarctica and Third Pole). She is also involved in Monsoon variability viz a viz rise of Himalaya and use of mineral/rock magnetic proxies for palaeoclimate and chronology of recent and downtime sediments. Dr. Phartiyal has masters and doctoral degree form Department of Geology, Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttatrakhand, India. Presently, she is serving at Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Anupam Sharma

Dr. Anupam Sharma is involved in understanding of surface geological process, depositional environment, characterization Quaternary palaeoclimatic and tectonics, geochemistry of rock, soil, sediment and water, and provenance determination etc. He has earned Master of Technology (M.Tech.) in applied Geology and conducted research at the School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Presently, Dr. Anupam Sharma is serving as Scientist F in the Birbal Sahni Insitute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.