Qualitative Assessment of Water Resources at Upstreamof Ajichai Catchment Area

Ajichai River is the largest river of the east part of Urimia Lake, which its main tributaries originate from Sabalan, Sahand and Bozghosh mountain chains. In addition to the main water ways, Ajaichai catchment area owns rich reservoirs of underground water. Usually the quality of water will change in contact with salty and marl foundations of middle parts of the catchment area and is changed to salty or even too salty waters. The aim of this study is the quality assessment of water at upstream of Ajichai catchment area from the view point of agriculture uses, for this purpose, the chemical analysis results of sample surface and underground waters, quality indices including (Ec, SAR, TDS, Cl, %Na, TH) and quality diagrams(piper, USSL) were used in June 2008. The maps were drawn in GIS environment. the findings of this research shows that a low amount of soft water (about 2%) exists in the aquifer of Sabalan foothills, and most of the areas’ underground waters has a medium quality. salty and very salty waters form about 40% of the underground waters. Surface waters which has originated from Sabalan Mountains and has measured at the upstream of the catchment area, has a soft and fresh quality.