An irrigation quality assessment for rural Hyderabad was made by determining the pH, EC, TDS and TH beside major cations and anions. This study employed various parameters to determine the suitability of groundwater for irrigation and its hydrochemistry. Permissible limits of major cations and anions revealed that approximately 26% of samples exceeded acceptable levels for Electrical Conductivity (EC), 87% for Ca²⁺, 89% for Mg²⁺, and 60% for Na⁺, while none exceeded the limits for K⁺. Conversely, 47% of samples for HCO₃⁻, 91% for Cl⁻, and 100% for SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, and CO₃²⁻ proved suitability for irrigation. Notably, irrigation indices highlighted favorable results, with 100% conformity for SAR, SSP, RSP, and PI values, and substantial percentages of 78% and 85% for MH and KR values, respectively, affirming their suitability for irrigation practices. Employing the USSL diagram, 22%, 65%, and 11% of samples fall into the C2S1, C3S1, and C4S1 categories. According to the Wilcox diagram, 25%, 43%, 30%, and 2% are classified under C1, C2, C3, and C4 categories, respectively. The Gibbs ratio shows a concentration within the evaporation dominance, and CAI values showed positive ion exchange. Overall, Hyderabad’s rural areas are generally suitable for irrigation, apart from certain areas where water quality may not be acceptable for plants lacking high salt tolerance.

Groundwater is the primary source of drinking and irrigation water in the semi-arid region of Samaro Tehsil, District Umerkot, Sindh, Pakistan. However, the detailed information on aquifer geometry and groundwater quality has remained limited. In this study, the first integrated assessment combining Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) and hydrochemical analysis to assess the subsurface aquifers and evaluate groundwater quality for drinking and irrigation purposes. Twelve VES surveys were conducted using the Terrameter SAS-4000 and subsurface resistivity models were interpreted using IPI2Win software. Groundwater samples collected from the corresponding boreholes were analyzed for major physicochemical parameters and irrigation suitability indices. The integrated interpretation showed distinct vertical salinity gradients with freshwater aquifers (10–30 Ωm) on top of brackish (3–8 Ωm) and saline (3 Ωm) layers at a depth of 20–30 m. Hydrochemical results showed that several groundwater samples exceeded WHO drinking water standards for TDS, sodium, magnesium, chloride, and electrical conductivity, whereas irrigation indices (SAR, KI, Na%, and MH) indicated potential long-term risks of soil salinization and reduced agricultural productivity. The combination of geophysical interpretations and hydrochemical assessment demonstrated the effective characterization of aquifer. This research provided the valuable information for groundwater resource management, sustainable irrigation planning, and future groundwater monitoring in the Lower Indus Basin.