Study of the chemical properties of groundwater and soil in the Republic of Karakalpakstan on the example of the Karauzyak district
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32523/3107-278X-2026-155-2-10-30Keywords:
groundwater, Karauzyak district, Republic of Karakalpakstan, hydrochemical composition, mineralization, soil salinization, electrical conductivity, Piper diagram, hydrogeochemical transformation, Aral Sea regionAbstract
This article presents the results of a study of the chemical properties of groundwater and soils in the Karauzyak district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan under conditions of increasing climatic aridity and water shortages in the Aral Sea region. An analysis of the hydrogeological conditions of the region was conducted, an assessment of the mineralization and hydrochemical composition of groundwater was made based on data from 20 production wells, and salinization indicators and the agrochemical properties of the soil profile were also investigated. A Piper diagram was used to interpret the hydrochemical characteristics, allowing us to identify the main types of groundwater and the directions of their geochemical evolution. A consistent transformation of the chemical composition of the waters from hydrocarbonate-calcium through hydrocarbonate-sodium to chloride-sodium was revealed, caused by the processes of ion exchange, evaporative concentration, and secondary salinization. The predominance of sodium and hydrocarbonate ions was established in most of the studied samples, and a relationship was demonstrated between the increase in groundwater mineralization and the deterioration of its quality. Soil analysis revealed an alkaline pH (pH 8.4–9.4), elevated water-soluble salt content, and a strong correlation between the electrical conductivity of the saturated soil extract and the total salt content (R² = 0.987). These results demonstrate a close relationship between the processes of hydrogeochemical transformation of groundwater and secondary soil salinization. The practical significance of this study lies in the potential use of these patterns to improve groundwater monitoring, assess environmental risks, and develop measures for sustainable water resource management in the context of the Aral Sea region's environmental crisis.
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Copyright (c) 2026 А. Асаматдинов, Ш. Муродов, О. Кудияров (Автор)
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