SMAJL RIZANI 1, PERPARIM LAZE 2, FEHMI GECI 3, BARDH BEGOLLI 3
1 PhD student, Department of Plant Sciences and Technology, Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania
2 Department of Plant Sciences and Technology, Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania
3 Agricultural Institute of Kosovo
Abstract
The aim of this study is to assess the surface water quality for irrigation purposes in Prizren-Gjakove-Decan area. Sixteen water samples were collected in the sampling points during the peak dry season (2015). Eight of these samples were collected in July and the rest in August from the same sampling points. Samples were taken from rivers, canals and reservoirs. The contents of the samples have been analyzed. The classification used to assess qualities and the suitability of irrigation water is based on FAO’s and USSL’s classification criteria of irrigation water. The study revealed that important constituents which influence the quality of irrigation water such as: electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), soluble sodium percentage (SSP), residual sodium bicarbonate (RSBC), permeability index (PI), total hardness (TH) and Kelly’s ratio (KR), were found within the permissible limits of waters for irrigation purposes. The results of physio-chemical analyses and the calculated water quality parameters suggest that all of the water samples are suitable for irrigation purposes. Therefore, the surface water of this area is of an excellent quality and its use is highly recommended for irrigation of crops.
Keywords: Irrigation water; quality; classification; Prizren-Gjakove-Decan area.
