Potability and hydrogeochemisty of the Sarma Stream water, Duzce, Turkey

Abstract

The Sarma Stream is located in Turkey, southwest of the town of Akcakoca in the Duzce Province. It was decided that the Sariyayla reservoir should be built on the Sarma Stream in order to address the water needs of Akcakoca. This research was conducted in the Sarma Stream basin to determine the effects of environmental and hydrological processes. Samples of rocks, soil, stream water, rain, snowmelt and bed and suspended sediment were collected in the Sarma Stream basin. Geochemical and water chemistry analyses of the samples were performed at the ALS Global laboratories in Canada. The sandstone, which is easily weathering and rich by clay minerals, and soil samples cause the Sarma Stream to flow muddy in rainy season. The kaolinite, illite, montmorillonite and clay minerals that type of chlorite is found in the bed and suspended sediments of the Sarma Stream. The water of the Sarma Stream is rich in calcium and bicarbonate, the water type is Ca–HCO₃. Acid rain affects the dissolution of geological units and the abundance of principal ions. Some heavy metal and elements in the Sarma Stream basin waters exceed the drinking water limit values (e.g. Al, Fe, Mn, NH₄ and NO₃). Hence, water in the Sariyayla Reservoir should be treated.