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Climate change

Groundwater Salinization in Coastal Aquifers Poses Threat to Agricultural Productivity

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A recent study has highlighted the vulnerability of coastal aquifers across the globe to long-term salinization due to the effects of climate change. Researchers from the University of Mines and Technology conducted a study in the Ga West Municipality in SE Ghana to assess the hydrogeochemical characteristics, identify sources of groundwater constituents, and evaluate processes and sources that contribute to groundwater salinization. The study's findings have significant implications for sustainable groundwater management practices and monitoring systems.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that sodium (Na+) and bicarbonate (HCO3-) are the dominant ions in the groundwater in the Ga West Municipality, SE Ghana.
  • The predominant water types are Na-HCO3-Cl (24.4%) and Na-Ca-HCO3-Cl (17.2%), with other mixed forms.
  • The results of the chemometric analysis revealed that groundwater constituents are mainly derived from anthropogenic sources, with limited contribution from geogenic and evaporation crystallization processes.
  • The groundwater shows undersaturation with respect to gypsum, calcite, aragonite, talc, halite, and quartz.
  • The Revelle Index (RI) values range from 0.11 to 6.54, with an average value of 0.97, indicating that about 58.6% of the boreholes in the study area are affected by salinization.
  • The Seawater Mixing Index (SMI) values indicate that 21% of the samples show seawater intrusion as the cause of groundwater salinization.
  • The study concluded that groundwater salinization in the Ga West Municipality driven by seawater mixing and human activities poses a significant threat to agricultural productivity due to increased soil salinity.

Statistics:

  • 58.6% of the boreholes in the study area are affected by salinization (based on Revelle Index (RI) values)
  • 21% of the samples show seawater intrusion as the cause of groundwater salinization (based on Seawater Mixing Index (SMI) values)
  • The study analyzed 20 boreholes in the Ga West Municipality, SE Ghana
  • The study found that sodium (Na+) and bicarbonate (HCO3-) are the dominant ions in the groundwater

Sources:

  • Hydrogeochemical controls on groundwater salinization in a coastal aquifer, SE Ghana: Implications for seawater mixing and anthropogenic influences. Scientific African, 2025, 28(): e02688.
  • University of Mines and Technology, P.O. Box 237, Tarkwa, Ghana.
  • University of Mines and Technology, Department of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Studies.

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