Evaluation of the groundwater levels and salinity in irrigable areas using geographical information system (GIS)

Efforts on the management of water resources, especially irrigation and drainage, in arid-semiarid areas are extremely important for the sustainability of irrigated agriculture. Groundwater level should be constantly monitored and kept at the desired level in the project which is achieve the expected benefits from investments made for this goal. The research was done in right bank irrigation area which is located in Southeast Turkey, Suruc Plain in 2017. The spatial and temporal fluctuations of the groundwater table depth and groundwater salinity were measured in the course of five-month-periods; from July to October. The results of depth (m) and salinity (µmhos cm-1) of the groundwater observation wells were mapped using geographical information system (GIS). The results showed that groundwater was not found in many observation wells, while groundwater depth reached to a critical threshold level (2 m (risk free for drainage) from July to October in the study area. The groundwater salinity was found to be less than 2250 µmhos cm-1 at the research area. Depending on the research findings, it was noted that there were not any waterlogging, drainage and salinity problems stemming from the rise of groundwater table due to short-term irrigated agriculture in the plain.