GEOELECTRICAL STUDY ON THE GROUNDWATER OCCURRENCE IN THE AREA SOUTHWEST OF SIDI BARRANI, NORTHWESTERN COAST, EGYPT.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Geophysical Exploration department, Desert Research Center.

Abstract

The study area lies at the distance of about 35 km west of the city of Sidi Barrani and about 50 km to the east of the Sallum city and about 9 kilometers south of the Mediterranean shoreline covering about 32 Km2. It occupies a portion of the semiarid climatic conditions area of Egypt. Geomorphologically, the study area lies on the piedmont plain having a general slope northward towards the Mediterranean Sea. Stratigraphically, deposits in the study area range in age from the Tertiary to Quaternary. The Miocene is the main aquifer in the area. It consists of different varieties from carbonate rocks, which play an important role to groundwater potentiality. The water bearing formations would be recharged from local rainfall received generally by the area and its vicinities.
The main purpose of the present investigation is finding out the shallow groundwater aquifer in the area through the application of two geoelectrical techniques (Vertical Electrical Sounding and two-dimensional (2D) geoelectrical imaging).
A grid pattern consists of 15 Vertical Electrical Sounding (V.E.S) stations have been carried out in the concerned area. The Schlumberger electrodes configuration was used, with current electrodes distance from 1000 to 1400m. Also, the two-dimensional (2D) geoelectrical imaging (Tomography) with Wenner measurements have been carried out along a profile in West-East direction with a length of 510m at Sanyet Eshenderra with the purpose of finding out the extension, depth and the thickness of the shallow aquifer. This technique can determine the fractures within the aquifer with high resolution.
The interpretation of the geoelectrical data led to the identification of the geoelectrical and geological successions consisting of five geoelectrical layers (the first is surface layer, the second layer is dry and composed of limestone with clay intercalation, the third layer is fractured limestone and represented of water bearing layer, the fourth layer is clay, while the last layer is dry limestone). Generally, The resistivity values and the thickness of the aquifer increase towards the east direction in the study area. This is attributed to increasing potentiality of water, good water quality and best production of wells in that direction. The results of geoelectrical data revealed that groundwater in the study area
depends mainly on the density of fissures and fractures within these rocks.
The area is influenced by faults which affect the subsurface successions forming a graben in the central part of the
area.
The above-mentioned results can help the decision-maker in the process of agricultural development in the area.

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