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Soil and Groundwater Quality and Resources Assessment, 2nd Edition
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Soil and Groundwater Quality and Resources Assessment, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil and Water".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2025 | Viewed by 1253

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Wanjun Jiang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Tianjin Center, China Geological Survey, Tianjin 300170, China
2. North China Center for Geoscience Innovation, China Geological Survey, Tianjin 300170, China
Interests: hydrogeology; isotope hydrogeochemistry; groundwater circulation and evolution; groundwater environment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Yizhi Sheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: microbial biogeochemistry; microbe-mineral interaction; soil and groundwater contamination; microbial ecology; hydrogeochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Hairu Mao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. College of Water Conservancy, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, China
2. Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Hydrosphere and Watershed Water Security, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, China
Interests: groundwater pollution; Isotope hydrogeochemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Human activities, particularly in regions experiencing the development of industry and agriculture and the exploitation of mineral resources, pose increasing threats to terrestrial ecosystems and groundwater environments. This situation is critical in areas facing water scarcity, where groundwater serves as the primary source of drinking water. Such concerns center around the type, distribution, source, migration, transformation, and ecological health risks associated with various contaminants in soil–groundwater ecosystems. The concentrations of contaminants in these ecosystems are complex due to long-term water–rock interactions, diverse groundwater recharge patterns, hydrological–biogeochemical processes, and intensive human exploitation. Notably, the threat extends to both traditional and emerging inorganic and organic pollutants, which find their way into human bodies via bioaccumulation, food chains, and drinking water, thus leading to health risks such as chemical toxicity, radiation exposure, and carcinogenic effects. In the face of escalating environmental challenges and the urgent need for sustainable land management, the assessment of soil quality and resources has never been more crucial. Given the pivotal role that soil and groundwater play in supporting agriculture, maintaining natural landscapes, extracting geothermal resources, and providing potable water, it is imperative that we deepen our understanding of these resources.

In response to these environmental challenges, we have established a Special Issue entitled “Soil and Groundwater Quality and Resources Assessment, 2nd Edition”. This collection of research articles aims to illuminate the critical processes at play and promote innovative approaches that protect our soil and groundwater ecosystems.

Dr. Wanjun Jiang
Prof. Dr. Yizhi Sheng
Dr. Hairu Mao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • multiple contaminants
  • source apportionment
  • migration–transformation
  • ecological health risks
  • soil–groundwater system

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 2113 KiB  
Article
Research on Ecological–Environmental Geological Survey and Evaluation Methods for the Kundulun River Basin in Baotou City
by Yi Hao, Junwei Wan, Yihui Xin, Wenhui Zhou, Yongli Li, Lei Mao, Xiaomeng Li, Limei Mo and Ruijia Li
Water 2025, 17(13), 1926; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17131926 - 27 Jun 2025
Viewed by 192
Abstract
The Kundulun River Basin is the most prominent branch of the Yellow River system within the jurisdiction of Baotou City. As an important water source and ecological barrier, its ecological quality is directly related to the ecological security and sustainable development of the [...] Read more.
The Kundulun River Basin is the most prominent branch of the Yellow River system within the jurisdiction of Baotou City. As an important water source and ecological barrier, its ecological quality is directly related to the ecological security and sustainable development of the surrounding areas. This study selected the Kundulun River Basin in Baotou City as the research area. On the basis of collecting relevant information, a field investigation was conducted on the ecological and geological conditions of the atmospheric surface subsurface Earth system, using the watershed as the survey scope and water as the carrier for the transfer and conversion of materials and energy in the watershed. This study selected the main factors that affect the ecological geological quality of the watershed and established an evaluation model using the analytic hierarchy process, the coefficient of variation method, and the comprehensive analysis method. We have established an ecological geological quality evaluation index system for the Kundulun River Basin. We conducted quantitative evaluation and comprehensive analysis of regional ecological and geological environment quality. The results indicate that ecological environment indicators contribute the most to the ecological quality of the study area, while the impact of human activities on ecological quality is relatively small. From the perspective of evaluation indicators, grassland has the highest weight, followed by precipitation, groundwater depth, forest land, and cultivated land. Approximately 30.26% of the land in the research area is in a state of high or relatively high ecological and geological–environmental quality risk. It can be seen that the overall quality of the ecological geological environment is not optimistic and needs further protection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil and Groundwater Quality and Resources Assessment, 2nd Edition)
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24 pages, 4712 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Groundwater Dynamics and Their Response Mechanisms to Different Types of Compound Stress in a Typical Hilly Plain Area
by Qian Zhang, Meng Zhang, Wanjun Jiang, Yang Hao, Feiwu Chen and Mucheng Zhang
Water 2025, 17(13), 1846; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17131846 - 20 Jun 2025
Viewed by 246
Abstract
Groundwater is a crucial source of water supply and an important ecological element globally. Research on the dynamic characteristics of groundwater and their causative mechanisms is fundamental to objectively evaluating groundwater resources and their sustainable utilization. Based on the large amount of hydrogeological [...] Read more.
Groundwater is a crucial source of water supply and an important ecological element globally. Research on the dynamic characteristics of groundwater and their causative mechanisms is fundamental to objectively evaluating groundwater resources and their sustainable utilization. Based on the large amount of hydrogeological data collected and analyzed in typical hilly plain areas, a multi-factor weighted comprehensive evaluation system (MFWCES) based on GIS was used to evaluate the response of groundwater dynamics to combined stress elements in Tangshan City. The study area is located in the plains and hilly regions of Tangshan City. The evaluation system was based on seven influencing factors, including hydraulic conductivity, soil media, aquifer thickness, depth of groundwater, land use type, extraction intensity of groundwater, and groundwater evaporation. The results of groundwater dynamics in the study area were obtained by weighted comprehensive evaluation, with their score size ranging from 2.4 to 12.7. The spatial distribution of groundwater dynamics was classified into four categories: rapid response (10.3–12.7), dual response to precipitation and anthropogenic extraction (9.6–10.3), delayed response (7.6–9.6), and strong superimposed response to human activities (2.4–7.6). The related conclusions will provide key references for regional water resource planning, ecological protection, and the development of differentiated groundwater management strategies under compound stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil and Groundwater Quality and Resources Assessment, 2nd Edition)
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29 pages, 3276 KiB  
Article
Study on the Factors Affecting the Drainage Efficiency of New Integrated Irrigation and Drainage Networks and Network Optimization Based on Annual Cost System
by Zhiwei Zheng, Mingrui Li, Tianzhi Wang and Hejing Ren
Water 2025, 17(8), 1201; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17081201 - 16 Apr 2025
Viewed by 495
Abstract
With the frequent occurrence of extreme weather events worldwide, the compound frequency of drought and flood events has significantly increased, imposing multidimensional pressures on agricultural water resource management. Agricultural water consumption accounts for approximately 70%, with severe waste, as a large amount of [...] Read more.
With the frequent occurrence of extreme weather events worldwide, the compound frequency of drought and flood events has significantly increased, imposing multidimensional pressures on agricultural water resource management. Agricultural water consumption accounts for approximately 70%, with severe waste, as a large amount of water is lost during transmission and distribution. Faced with increasingly severe and frequent extreme weather, traditional drainage systems may become unsustainable. Identifying the factors influencing drainage time is crucial for efficient drainage. The MIKE URBAN model has significant potential in farmland waterlogging simulation and drainage network optimization. This study validated the model’s accuracy based on infiltration well overflow capacity experiments, with Average Relative Error (ARE) values of 2.29%, 6.52%, 4.41%, 3.17%, 4.37%, and 5.69%, demonstrating good simulation accuracy. The MIKE URBAN model was used to simulate drainage networks, explore factors affecting drainage time, establish an annual cost system for the drainage network, and optimize the network using a genetic algorithm with the objective of minimizing annual costs. Research findings: There is a clear negative correlation between the maximum inflow of infiltration wells and drainage time. As inflow increases, drainage becomes faster, but beyond 0.0075 m3/s (27 m3/h), the efficiency gains level off. This indicates that selecting infiltration wells with at least a 20% opening ratio is essential. Similarly, increasing the collector’s diameter enhances drainage efficiency significantly, though the effect follows a diminishing return pattern. While smaller lateral spacing improves local water collection, it may lead to flow congestion if the collector is undersized; conversely, larger spacing increases drainage paths and delays, even if the collector is large. An optimal spacing range of 100–150 m is suggested alongside the collector diameter. Lateral diameter also affects performance: increasing it reduces drainage time, but the benefit plateaus around 200 mm, making further enlargement cost-ineffective. The genetic algorithm helped to optimize the drainage network design. Utilizing the genetic algorithm, the drainage network was optimized in just 15 iterations. The fitness function value rapidly decreased from 351,000 CNY to 55,000 CNY and then stabilized, reducing the annual cost from 59,640.67 CNY to 45,337.86 CNY—a 24% savings—highlighting the approach’s effectiveness in designing efficient and economical farmland drainage systems. This study has shown that the simulation-based optimization of drainage networks provides a more rational and cost-effective approach to planning drainage infrastructure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil and Groundwater Quality and Resources Assessment, 2nd Edition)
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