Shallow groundwater in rural areas is primarily polluted by agricultural activities. Nitrate-nitrogen is an indicatorof artificial pollution. In this study, the hydrochemical characteristics and nitrate-nitrogen pollution of shallow groundwaterwere examined in two agricultural villages (Hyogyo-ri and Sinan-ri) in Chungcheongnam-do Province, Korea.
Physicochemical quality analysis of shallow groundwater and stream water in the field, and chemical analysis in thelaboratory were conducted from July 2020 to October 2021. In Hygyo-ri and Sinan-ri villages, shallow groundwatermainly belonged to the Ca-Cl, Ca-H CO3, Na-HCO3, and Na-Cl types, whereas stream water predominantly belonged tothe Ca-HCO3 type. The nitrate-nitrogen concentration in shallow groundwater varied depending on the season, displayingan increased concentration of nitrate-nitrogen in the dry season compared to the rainy season. Stream water may beinfluenced by runoff into villages from the surrounding area, although both shallow groundwater and stream water areaffected by artificial pollution. In addition, the nitrate-nitrogen concentration in stream water was lower than that inshallow groundwater.