Groundwater hydrochemistry and water quality assessment in the traditional irrigation region, China

Groundwater underpins social development and public health. The threat is most acute in arid and semi-arid regions, such as Northwest China, where rising demand and environmental degradation intensify water stress. This study conducts a comprehensive investigation into the hydrochemical evolution mechanisms and groundwater quality in the Guanzhong Basin, Northwest China. The results show that the ionic dominance sequence is Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+ for cations and HCO3− > SO42− > Cl− for anions. Water–rock interactions – including dissolution of halite, gypsum, and dolomite – dominate groundwater chemical evolution. However, in northern aquifers, evaporative concentration and anthropogenic pollution are prominent, as indicated by significant correlations among Cl−, NO3−, and TDS. According to the entropy-weighted TOPSIS assessment, 22% of samples were classified as poor to extremely poor quality (C = 0.004–0.359), mainly distributed in Fuping and Pucheng counties due to elevated levels of TH, TDS, Na+, SO42−, Cl−, and F−. The Nitrate Pollution Index results further reveal that 25% of samples experience moderate to extreme pollution, with significantly higher levels in the northern part of the basin. These findings highlight the dominant impact of human activities on groundwater quality in the northern region, supporting zonation-based strategies for groundwater sustainability.