Hydrogeological investigation of shallow aquifers in an arid data-scarce coastal region (El Daba’a, northwestern Egypt)

Yousif, Mohamed; Geldern, Robert van; Bubenzer, Olaf

doi:10.1007/s10040-015-1308-4

Cited by 23 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…The chemical composition of groundwater is a combination of water constituents that migrate into the groundwater reservoir with recharge waters and a reaction of the groundwater body with the minerals present in the aquifer matrices (Yousif et al 2016). The practice of environmental sustainability aims to secure the necessary requirements of the population without deterioration of the ability of the natural resources (such as groundwater) to meet the needs of next generations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rock-water interaction processes based on geochemical modeling and remote sensing applications in hyper-arid environment: cases from the southeastern region of Egypt

Yousif

El‐Aassar

2018

Bull Natl Res Cent

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Background: The interaction between rocks and groundwater can be considered as multi-faceted processes in hydrogeology where the groundwater chemistry can be resulted from leaching and/or minerals dissolution. The scientific approach of this study based on testing the contribution of remote sensing in providing information related to rock-groundwater interaction along with the outputs of the geochemical model. The current research aims to explore the impacts of lithologic nature and structural geology on the groundwater chemistry. The mentioned objective is significant for the future sustainable development of groundwater in hyper-arid regions. Therefore, both geology and geochemistry of water-bearing formations along the flow path to the studied aquifers were identified. The area was chosen as an example from hyper-arid region to carry out this scientific approach. Results: The obtained results indicate the existence of three main aquifers: Quaternary alluvial (salinity 1253 mg/l to 18,854 mg/l), Nubian Sandstone (salinity 311 mg/l to 14,388 mg/l), and fractured basement (salinity 320 mg/l to 19,375 mg/ l). The results of speciation modeling showed that studied aquifers are supersaturated with gibbsite, goethite, hematite, magnetite, aragonite, calcite, dolomite, and alunite. Nubian aquifer specifically has homogeneity results due to the similarity of water-bearing and geology of watersheds (ferruginous sandstone and ironstone). Remote sensing data and digital elevation model analyses were used for generation of the thematic layers which is affecting the groundwater occurrences and quality such as geology, geomorphology, structural lineaments, slope, flow direction, drainage lines, and elevations. Conclusions: The current research concluded that the groundwater chemistry can be a signature of the rock-water interaction. The potential implications of the research are represented through a priority map for groundwater exploration for both hydro-geophysical investigation and testing wells in order to evaluate the groundwater capabilities where the data from the recorded wells were used to calibrate this map.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rock-water interaction processes based on geochemical modeling and remote sensing applications in hyper-arid environment: cases from the southeastern region of Egypt

Yousif

El‐Aassar

2018

Bull Natl Res Cent

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“…The results of δ 18 O and δ 2 H analyses in ESM 1 shows that the isotopic composition of groundwater ranges from −5.64 to +2.87‰ for δ 18 O and from −26.2 to +25.8‰ for δ 2 H.The weighted mean isotopic value for precipitation between October and April was estimated by −5.0‰ for δ 18 O and −15.14‰ for δ 2 H [23].Seawater, which is considered one of the main sources of groundwater salinity in the study area, is represented by a sample collected from the Mediterranean and is characterized by relatively enriched isotopic values (δ 18 O 1.12‰, δ 2 H 8.5‰) ( Figure 7). (Figure 7a) shows that the samples are divided into two groups.…”

Section: Environmental Isotopesmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Group II, have high salinity, relatively enriched with δ 18 O and δ 2 H, and located close to the seawater sample, indicating seawater intrusion. In Figure 7b,c, the relationship between δ 18 O versus chloride and bromide show that sample numbers 6,10,13,18,19,22,30,31,37,41,44, and 45 receive a great amount of meteoric recharge water, while other groundwater samples show mixing with seawater.…”

Section: Environmental Isotopesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The study area consists of sedimentary succession ranging in age from the Tertiary to the Quaternary (Figure 2). It comprises three main geomorphic units: the coastal plain, the Piedmont plains, and the tableland [18]. The coastal plain is located near the Mediterranean shoreline and is covered by sand dunes, composed mainly of oolitic carbonate sands forming an unconfined porous aquifer [19].…”

Section: Geology Geomorphology and Hydrogeologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Combining geochemistry and isotopic tools can lead to relevant information regarding the origin of karst water mineralization [15,16]. In this complex system, the origin of salinization and the hydrogeochemical processes affecting groundwater quality have been identified using dissolved major ions, conservative tracer (Br and Cl), and stable environmental isotopes (δ 18 O and δ 2 H). In addition, the geochemical processes has been simulated using NETPATH modeling, a geochemical groundwater reaction and mixing code [17], to determine the main source(s) of groundwater mineralization in different aquifers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geochemical and Isotopic Evidence of Groundwater Salinization Processes in El Dabaa Area, Northwestern Coast, Egypt

et al. 2018

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El Dabaa city is located along the northwestern coast ridge zone of Egypt, where the groundwater is the major water source for drinking, domestic, and agricultural purposes. The groundwater salinity increased over the last decades, therefore, geochemical techniques and environmental isotopes have been utilized to identify the main groundwater recharge and salinization sources. The study area comprises two main groundwater aquifers: the porous oolitic Pleistocene and the fractured limestone Miocene aquifers. The groundwater salinity of the Pleistocene aquifer ranges from 751 to 27,870 mg/L, with an average value of 6006 mg/L. The salinity of the Miocene aquifer ranges from 3645 to 41,357 mg/L, with an average value of 11,897 mg/L. Fresh and brackish groundwater have been recorded in the shallow hand-dug wells, while saline groundwater has been found in deeper wells close to the shoreline. Groundwater samples have been categorized into two distinct groups according to the salinity ranges, hydrochemical ion ratios, and stable isotopic content. Group I is composed of groundwater with salinity less than 10,000 mg/L, and depleted stable isotopic content (−5.64 < δ18O < −2.45; −23.5 < δ2H < −0.02), while Group II contains groundwater with salinity values above 10,000 mg/L and relatively enriched stable isotopic content (−1.86 < δ18O < −0.48; −10.3 < δ2H < −2.0). The weight mass balance mixing model shows that Group I falls close to the rain and/or water extract samples, indicating meteoric water origin that has evolved due to leaching and dissolution processes. Group II is mostly located between the rainwater and the seawater samples, revealing mixing with water of marine origin due to groundwater overexploitation. The estimated seawater mixing index (SMI) of groundwater samples of Group II is greater than one, which confirms mixing with seawater. The water-rock reaction NETPATH (geochemical groundwater reaction and mixing code) model scenarios representing Group I suggests that gypsum, dolomite, and halite are dissolved, while calcite is formed with a slight influence from evaporation processes. Six mixing models representing Group II are used to investigate seawater mixing scenarios. The models suggest that illite and dolomite are dissolved, while calcite and gypsum are precipitated with a seawater mixing ratios ranging from 28% to 98%. In conclusion, due to the scarcity of annual groundwater recharge in the El Dabaa area, groundwater withdrawal should be well managed to avoid groundwater salinization and further seawater intrusion.

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Hydrological Simulation of a Rainfed Agricultural Watershed Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)

Omran

2018

The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry

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Hydrogeological investigation of shallow aquifers in an arid data-scarce coastal region (El Daba’a, northwestern Egypt)

Cited by 23 publications

References 37 publications

Rock-water interaction processes based on geochemical modeling and remote sensing applications in hyper-arid environment: cases from the southeastern region of Egypt

Rock-water interaction processes based on geochemical modeling and remote sensing applications in hyper-arid environment: cases from the southeastern region of Egypt

Geochemical and Isotopic Evidence of Groundwater Salinization Processes in El Dabaa Area, Northwestern Coast, Egypt

Hydrological Simulation of a Rainfed Agricultural Watershed Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)

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