Assessment and mapping of soil salinity and groundwater quality in Nijhum Island, Hatiya Upazila, Noakhali

Abstract

AbstractCrop yield is heavily influenced by soil salinity. The objective of the research is to assess the depth wise soil salinity distribution pattern and groundwater quality by measuring physico-chemical parameters in the agricultural land of Nijhum Island, Noakhali, Bangladesh. This study also explicates the spatial variation of soil salinity in the study area. Soil samples were collected from three different depths to estimate the Electrical Conductivity (EC) using a paste of 1:5 soil and distilled water suspension (1:5 weight-to-volume method). Spatial analyst tool of ArcGIS was used and observed that the land of Nijhum Island was affected with severe salinity in almost 85% of sampling plots and 15% of sampling plots were extremely saline. The soil salinity process has been noticed due to seawater intrusion from the Bay of Bengal through the Meghna estuary which threatens crop production and soil fertility, threatening the population's livelihood. This study provides a baseline understanding of soil salinity in Nijhum Island to help decision-makers and smallholder farmers improve their livelihoods. Thus, groundwater depth did not affect soil salinity significantly. The result contradicts most studies that found a strong influence on soil salinity. Because the study area is coastal, most of the salt comes from seawater inundation and capillary rise, which reduces groundwater availability.