Monitoring of Khiav River Water During Exploration Well Drilling at Sabalan Geothermal Field, Northwestern Iran

In this paper, the results of surface and ground water quality monitoring during drilling of three deep exploratory wells in geothermal project in North West of Sabalan in Meshkinshahr are analyzed. The region has been investigated by various researchers to generate electricity using geothermal energy. Drilling in deep geothermal projects, a variety of materials such as cement, bentonite, barite, soda ash, sodium chloride, etc. are used in the process of drilling and fixing wells enabling large amounts of pollutants into the aquifers that may discharge into the Khiav River. This study have tried to identify the possible effects of drilling three exploration wells on the Khiav River and hot and cold springs in an area in Sabalan. The water quality of Khiav River is very important because it supplies drinking and irrigating water for Meshkinshahr city and suburbs with a population about 200, 000 people. Residents of villages and many nomadic families use cold springs as drinking water sources in the summer, as well as many tourists who travel there to visit touristic attractions and hot springs may be affected by possible changes in water quality of these springs. Therefor monitoring the changes in the quality of hot and cold springs in the area is significantly important. The results of an 18 months of investigation indicate that drilling activities have no significant effect on the water quality of Khiav River and springs. Levels of some high heavy metals concentrations of other elements are less than the standard for drinking water.