The Effects ofWater Table Decline on the Groundwater Quality in Marand Plain, Northwest Iran

Marand plain, a part of the Caspian Sea catchment, stretching over an area of about 820 km2, in northwestern part of Iran is considered as a semi-arid zone. It has gained substantial importance because of agricultural prosperity and population density. Almost all water consumption needs are met from groundwater resources. In the last decades, rapid population growth coupled with agricultural expansion has significantly increased demand on groundwater resources. Large increases in water demand with little recharge have strained Marand groundwater resources resulting in declines in water levels and deterioration of groundwater quality in the major parts of the plain. It''s worth mentioning that the paramount cause of sharp drop in the groundwater table in the recent years is conclusively attributed to pumping out of well water which confirmedly exceeds the level of the natural recharge. As a result, the average water level, for instance, has dropped from 1179.9 m to 1168.2 m during the years from 1982 to 2000. The prime objective of this research is to study and examine the groundwater decline and its effect on the quality of groundwater in the Marand aquifer for the said period