Aquifer Characterization and Groundwater Potential Using Integrated Geoelectric Sounding and Geoinformatics in West Maghagha Area, Minia Governorate, Egypt
The study area is located in the western extension of the Nile Valley near the boundary with the Western Desert, where the groundwater represents the potential water resource for future land development for both industrial purposes and agricultural reclamation. Historically, geoelectric methods proved prospective and practical in exploring for groundwater resources. In this study, 17 Vertical Electric Sounding (VES) were acquired and processed to reveal the subsurface distribution of the water bearing layers and identify the groundwater potential in West Maghagha area. After routine data analysis and calibration, the preliminary results are interpreted in light of the available geological data and indicated the presence of at least four geoelectric layers with model resistivity values up to 2000 Ω•m. The potential aquifer was encountered down to ~120 m depth with average thickness of 100 m and is made of argillaceous fractured carbonates. Despite the overall poor quality of this aquifer, the integrated geoelectric and hydrogeologic information indicated a possible potential occurrence of potable groundwater at the southern and northeastern parts of the study area. To improve understanding of the groundwater systems in the study area, detailed aquifer characterization is discussed through integration of the available geologic data, maps, and the geoelectric sections constructed from the VES.
References
[1]
Abdulaziz, M.A., Hurtado Jr., J.M. and Al-Douri, R. (2009) Application of Multitemporal Landsat Data to Monitor Land Cover Changes in the Eastern Nile Delta Region, Egypt. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 11, 2977-2996. https://doi.org/10.1080/01431160802558675
[2]
Sadek, H., Soliman, S. and Abdulhady, H. (1989) Correlation between Different Models of Resistivity Sounding Data to Discover New Fresh Water Fields in Elsadat City, Western Desert, Egypt. Proceedings of the 7th International Mathematical Geophysics Seminar, Free University of Berlin, Germany, 8-11 February, 329-346.
[3]
Abuelata, A. and Hassanein, A. (1990) Comparative Study of the Geoelectric Characteristics and Water Qualities in the Cairo-Suez and Cairo-Sokhna Roads, Eastern Desert, Egypt. Mansoura Science Bulletin, 17, 511-532.
[4]
Abdulaziz, M.A. (2014) Hydrostratigraphic Characterization of Groundwater Systems in Khatatba Area Using Vertical Electrical Sounding and Well Log Data, SW Nile Delta, Egypt. International Journal of Advancement in Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2, 39-50.
[5]
Ekinci, Y. and Demirci, A. (2008) A Damped Least-Squares Inversion Program for the Interpretation of Schlumberger Sounding Curves. Journal of Applied Sciences, 8, 4070-4078. https://doi.org/10.3923/jas.2008.4070.4078
[6]
Singh, U., Tiwari, R. and Singh, S. (2010) Inversion of 2-D DC Resistivity Data Using Rapid Optimization and Minimal Complexity Neural Network. Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics, 17, 65-76. https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-17-65-2010
[7]
Abdelwahab, H. (2013) Comparison of 2D and 3D Resistivity Imaging Methods in the Study of Shallow Subsurface Structures. Greener Journal of Physical Sciences, 3, 149-158.
[8]
Abdulaziz, M.A., Hurtado Jr., J.M. and Faid, A. (2012) Hydrogeological Characterization of Gold Valley: An Investigation of Precipitation Recharge in an Intermountain Basin in the Death Valley Region, California, USA. Hydrogeology Journal, 20, 701-718. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-012-0840-8
[9]
Negri, S., Leucci, G. and Mazzone, F. (2008) High Resolution 3D ERT to Help GPR Data Interpretation for Researching Archaeological Items in a Geologically Complex Subsurface. Journal of Applied Geophysics, 65, 111-120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2008.06.004
[10]
Sabet, M. (1975) Vertical Electrical Resistivity Soundings to Locate Ground Water Resources: A Feasibility Study. A Publication of Virginia Water Resources Research Center Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, Bulletin, 73, Virginia, November 1975.
[11]
Krumbein, W. and Sloss, L. (1963) Stratigraphy and Sedimentation. W.H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco, 660 p.
[12]
Zohdy, A., Eaton, G. and Mabey, D. (1974) Application of Surface Geophysics to Ground-Water Investigations. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations, Book 2, United States Government Printing Office, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Co., 86.
[13]
Yungel, S.H. (1996) Electrical Methods in Geophysical Exploration of Deep Sedimentary Basins. Chapman & HaIl, London, 208 p.
[14]
Parasnis, D.S. (1997) Principles of Applied Geophysics. 5th Edition, Chapman & Hill, London, 429 p.
[15]
Mait, S., Gupta, G., Erram, V. and Tiwari, R. (2011) Inversion of Schlumberger Resistivity Sounding Data from the Critically Dynamic Koyna Region using the Hybrid Monte Carlo-Based Neural Network Approach. Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics, 18: 179-192. https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-18-179-2011
[16]
Said, R. (1981) The Geological Evolution of the River Nile. Springer Verlag, 151 p. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5841-4
[17]
Mansour, H.H. and Pltilobbo, L.R. (1983) Lithostratigraphic Classification of the Surface Eocene Carbonate of the Nile Valley, Egypt: A Review. Faculty of Science, Assiut University, 12, 129-153.
[18]
E.G.P.C. and CONOCO Coral Company (1987) Geological Map of Egypt, Scale 1: 500,000 Cairo, Egypt.
[19]
Said, R., Wendorf, F. and Schild, R. (1970) The Geology and Prehistory of the Nile Valley in Upper Egypt. Archeologia, Polona, 12, 43-60.
[20]
Said, R. (1990) The Geology of Egypt. Balkema, 734 p.
[21]
Said, R. (1993) The River Nile Geology, Hydrology, and Utilization. Pergamon Press, Oxford, 320 p.
[22]
Boukhary, M. and Abdelmalik, W. (1983) Revision of the Stratigraphy of the Eocene Deposits of Egypt. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Palaontologie, 6, 321-337.
[23]
Bishay, Y. (1961) Biostratigraphic Study of the Eocene in the Eastern Desert between Samalut and Assiut by the Larger Foraminifera. Third Arab Petrol. Cong., Alexandria, 7 p.
[24]
Issawi, B., Francis, M.H., Yousef, E.A. and Osman, R.A. (2009) The Phanerozoic Geology of Egypt: A Geodynamic Approach. The Egyptian Geological Survey Special Publication No. 81, Ministry of Petroleum, the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority, Abbaseya.
[25]
Omara, S., El Tahiawi, M.R. and Hafez, H.H. (1970) The Geology of Environs of Assiut. Bulgarian Geographic Society, Vol. 43, Cairo.
[26]
Yehia, M.A. (1973) Some Aspects of the Structural Geology and Stratigraphy of Selected Ports of the Nile Basin of Upper Egypt. PhD Thesis, Fac. Sci, Am Shams Univ., Egypt, 180 p.
[27]
RIGW/IWACO (1990) Groundwater Potential in the Nile Valley and Delta. Technical Note 70.130-89-07.
[28]
RIGW/IWACO (1988) Development and Management of Groundwater Resources in Nile Valley and Delta. Technical Note 70, 120-88-05, Cairo.
[29]
RIGW/IWACO (1990b) Hydrogeological Inventory and Groundwater Development Plan-Western Nile Delta Region, Volume 1. Main Report TN 70.130-90-02, RIGW, Egypt.
[30]
RIGW/IWACO (1991) Development and Management of Groundwater Resources in the Nile Valley and Delta. Internal Report, Cairo, Egypt.
[31]
El Sayed, A.N. (2016) The Impact of Geologic Setting on the Groundwater Occurrence in the Eocene Limestone of El Minia-East Nile-Egypt using Geoelectrical Technique. Advances in Applied Science Research, 7, 257-273.
[32]
Ward, S. (1990) Resistivity and Induced Polarization Methods, In: Ward, S.H., Ed., Geotechnical and Environmental Geophysics, Vol. 1, Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Tulsa. https://doi.org/10.1190/1.9781560802785
[33]
Barseem, M., El Sayed, A. and Youssef, A. (2013) Impact of Geologic Setting on the Groundwater Occurrence in Wadis El Sanab, Hashem, and Khrega using Geoelectrical Methods—Northwestern Coast, Egypt. Arabian Journal of Geoscience, 7, 5127-5139. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-013-1129-5
[34]
IPI-2win Software (2005) A Package for Automatic and Interactive Semiautomatic Interpretation of VES and IP Data. Moscow State University, Dep. of Geophysics and Geoscan, M. Ltd.
[35]
Mack, T. and Degnan, J. (2004) Geophysical Characterization of Fractured Bedrock at Site 8, Former Pease Air Force Base, Newington, New Hampshire. USGS Open-File Report 02-279.
[36]
Orellana, E. and Money, H. (1966) Master Tables and Curves for Vertical Electrical Sounding over Layered Structures. Interciencia, Costanilla de Los Angeles, 15, Madrid.
