The study of the effects of drought on the quantity and quality of groundwater in the Zarghan plain of Fars during 2011-2016

Due to its position in dry and semi-arid region, Iran has a worse situation than the average of world. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of drought on the quantitative and qualitative status of groundwater in Zarghan plain in Fars province. So, the meteorological data, groundwater level data, and physicochemical experiments of 10 drinking wells data of Zarghan rural district in Fars province during the period of 2011-2016 were used. The data was analyzed by Pearson-spearman Correlation matrices via SPSS software. The results showed that there was a significant positivecorrelation between rainfall reduction and lowering of groundwater level with a 3-month delay, and association the groundwater level reduction in the area was 1.11 meters. Also, with the decrease of groundwater level in The study period increased the amount of sodium ion, nitrate, sulfate, carbonate and total hardness increased in a number of wells, which resulted in increased salinity of water due to the reduction of water volume in the groundwater resources, because of drought and the increase in the concentration of salts in the Groundwater. The balance of groundwater is maintained, if the input and output levels of water are equal. However, according to the survey results it is clear that in addition to the lack of rainfall has not been able to compensate. The water deficiency, uncontrolled harvesting of aquifers has also been effective in reducing groundwater levels and increasing in the water salts in the area.