An Assessment of Collector-Drainage Water and Groundwater – An Application of CCME WQI Model

According to Victor Ernest Shelford’s “Law of Tolerance”, organisms within ecosystems thrive optimally when environmental conditions are favorable. Applying this principle to agroecosystems experiencing water scarcity or environmental challenges can enhance their productivity. In such ecosystems, phytocoenoses regulate their optimal conditions by utilizing water of varying concentrations. Additionally, optimal drinking water conditions for human populations within a given ecosystem can be established, mitigating the risks of future negative succession processes. This study focuses on assessing the quality of two distinct water sources in the Amu Darya district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan: collector-drainage water and groundwater at depths ranging between 10 and 20 meters. To evaluate water quality, the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) Water Quality Index (WQI) was employed, adapted to the specific conditions of Uzbekistan. The relevance of this research lies in its examination of climate change impacts. Without optimizing the salinity of collector-drainage water, its use may exacerbate soil salinization and lead to a decline in drinking water quality. The findings, covering the period from 2021 to 2023, reveal that the overall water quality index for collector-drainage water was classified as “Poor” for sensitive crops, primarily due to six indicators failing to meet FAO guidelines, which resulted in an 8.33% increase in salinity by 2023. In contrast, groundwater quality showed a “Fair” rating in 2021, with a slight deterioration observed by 2023. The study underscores the necessity of utilizing organic fertilizers in agriculture to safeguard drinking water quality, enhance crop yields, and improve soil health, while minimizing the use of chemical inputs. Additionally, adopting WQI models under changing climatic conditions offers potential for improving agricultural productivity, enhancing groundwater quality, and enabling more robust environmental monitoring systems.