ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Use of Geostatistics to Determine the Spatial
Variation of Groundwater Quality: A Case Study
in Beijing’s Reclaimed Water Irrigation Area
Niu Yong1, Yin Shiyang2,3, Liu Honglu2,3, Wu Wenyong2,3, Li Binghua2
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1College of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University,
Beijing 100083, China
2Beijing Institute of Water Science & Technology Research,
Beijing 100044, China
3Beijing Engineering Technique Research Center for Exploration and Utilization of Non-Conventional
Water Resources and Water Use Efficiency,
Beijing, 100044, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2015;24(2):611-618
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
In order to determine the distribution variation of groundwater quality in the reclaimed water irrigation
area of Beijing, the geostatistics method and ArcGIS9.3 module were used. Based on the normal distribution
testing and global trends, the optimal geostatistical interpolation and optimal variogram models for each
index were sampled, and the effects of artificial factors and space structure on the water quality index in the
reclaimed water irrigation area were determined. The influence of human activities and structural factors
on the water quality indicators of groundwater were determined using variability intensity and the nugget
effect. The results showed that nitrate content was the water quality indicator in the groundwater that was
most sensitive to human activities and could be used as an indicating factor to study groundwater pollution
in the study area. In combination with the temporal and spatial variation of groundwater nitrate nitrogen in
the study area, it was discovered that the amplification of nitrate nitrogen in the reclaimed water core irrigation
area was far less than that in the non-core area. The reasons for such characteristics were vadose zone
structure and human activity. The proposed results for groundwater Nitrate-nitrogen distribution can be used
to quantify groundwater pollution risk and promote the utilization of wastewater.