Susceptibility of Shallow Groundwater Aquifers to Water Logging, Case Study Al Marashda Area, West Nile Valley, Qena, Egypt.

Document Type : Research Studies

Authors

1 Irrigation And Hydraulics Engineering Department , Desert Research Center

2 Geophysical Dep., Desert Research Center

3 Chemical and Physical soil Dep., Desert Research Center

Abstract

Attempts were carried out to delineate the areas where the aquifer is vulnerable to water logging, head drop and pollution in the new and old reclamation areas as well. All of the hydrological, geophysical and soil factors were incorporated in the DRASTIC model. Parameters included are; depth to water, net recharge, aquifer media, water salinity, thicknesses and resistivity of successive geoelectrical layers soil media, topography and impact of the vadose zone. Saturated soil hydraulic conductivity varies from 4.43 X10-4 to 243 X10-4 m/sec. Groundwater is supplied from the gravel sand saturated sediments belonging to the Quaternary aquifer. The aquifer thickness rangs from 60 to 120 m. Groundwater depths are gradually increased from 2 m in north to about 72 m in the southern area. Groundwater levels are ranging from 58 m a.s.l. to 74 m a.s.l. Transmissivity is ranging from 155 m2/day to 420 m2/day. Applying the DRASTIC model reveals that there are five vulnerable classes characterizing the study area.  Very low and Low vulnerable areas characterize the southern area located near the table land area. Medium vulnerable area present at the pediment area just above the old cultivated lands and extends through the old cultivated lands East of Al Marashda area where groundwater depths are ranging from 5 m - 40 m and recharge is essentially from excess irrigation water. A very high and high vulnerable area is located in the old cultivated lands where groundwater is very shallow (< 5 m) and recharge is very high from excess irrigation water and percolation from surface water systems.

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