Watering Sundarban's fields: a systematic review of groundwater and surface water suitability for irrigation

Abstract

AbstractThe Sundarban region—located from the Hooghly River in India's state of West Bengal to the Baleswar River in Bangladesh—renowned for its distinctive ecosystem and agricultural techniques, heavily depends on groundwater for irrigation purposes. However, concerns arise regarding the suitability of groundwater for sustainable agriculture in this vulnerable coastal zone. This systematic review aims to comprehensively evaluate the quality and appropriateness of groundwater and surface water for irrigation in the Sundarban region. By extensively searching scientific databases and relevant literature, we identified eighteen studies meeting our inclusion criteria. These studies encompassed hydrological, hydrochemical, and agronomic parameters, facilitating a thorough assessment of groundwater quality and its potential impacts on crop productivity. The review evaluates key parameters such as total hardness, residual sodium carbonate, potential salinity, permeability index, Kelly's ratio, sodium absorption ratio, corrosivity ratio, and chloroalkaline indices. The results revealed that irrigation water displays an alkaline nature, and both surface water and groundwater were unsuitable for irrigation due to exceedingly high-quality parameters beyond the standard limits. Nevertheless, groundwater exhibited favorable physiochemical properties. The review identifies critical research gaps and proposes future directions to enhance the understanding of groundwater suitability for irrigation in the Sundarban region. The findings emphasize the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach to ensure sustainable agricultural practices and safeguard the delicate ecosystem of the Sundarban region.