Abstract In an arid pre‐Saharan climate where rainfall is scarce, agricultural activity in the traditional oasis of El Guettar relies heavily on groundwater for irrigation. The quality of these water resources is influenced by local hydrogeology, geological structures, topography, rainfall, evaporation, interactions between rocks and water, and irrigation methods. This study provides an assessment of groundwater quality and its suitability for irrigation using six water samples collected from five wells and one borehole. We measured physicochemical parameters (pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, and total dissolved solids) and major ion concentrations (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate). Water quality was evaluated using five indices: sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), cation ratio of soil structural stability (CROSS), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), sodium percentage (Na%), permeability index, and magnesium hazard (MH), along with Wilcox and Riverside (United States Salinity Laboratory) diagrams. The results reveal that the groundwater is very saline but not sodic, with SAR values below 10 and negative RSC values for all samples, indicating no risk of soil sodification. >66% of the samples show a high risk of soil structure disintegration, according to CROSS. The Wilcox diagram and electrical conductivity measurements indicate very high salinity, requiring salt‐tolerant crops and effective drainage. Only wells P1 and P4 offer optimal quality, while the others (P2, P3, P5, and P6) have excess magnesium (high MH > 50), which can be corrected by gypsum, a locally abundant resource. Thus, appropriate management can maintain the productivity of this oasis despite the water salinity.
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