INTEGRATED STUDY ON THE WATER RESOURCES OF WADI BARAGA BASIN, SOUTHERN SINAI, EGYPT, USING G.I.S, REMOTE SENSING AND GEOPHYSICAL EXPLORATION TECHNIQUES.

The basin of Wadi Baraga lies between latitudes 28 44 and 28 73 30 N and longitudes 24 22 30 and34 25 30E (Fig.1).This tectonic plain represent an interesting area, for south Sinai residence and government due to its use as desert camp for the tourists travailing and outdoor activity of the international hotels in three main important costal towns namely, Nweaba,Dahab and Sharm EL Shaikh. Anther major importance to this tectonic plain is as acting the upstream of some wadis ( EL Gaybi,Hadaba, Kenkeshen and Zaghra)which transfer the floods down to strike the main highway which contacts the mentioned costal towns along the Gulf of Aqaba..
This integrated study has three main targets; firstly study the recharging characteristics and its enhancement capabilities in the term of surface water harvesting , secondly control the flash flood which dropped from this tectonic plain to strike the very important highway which connects the touristic towns along the Gulf of Aqaba. ; Finally study the groundwater probabilities at Baraga tectonic plain to locate the best sites for drilling wells.
To achieve the previous targets, three phases of the work should be happen, firstly the pre field work; secondly the field work and post field work. The pre field work which takes place to clarifying the geological, topographical and structural characterization of the area. The surface processes (D.E.M, slope, and aspect and hill shade) were studied using geographic information systems to detect the surface water flow direction and accumulations and clarify the mechanism of surface water harvesting and/or flash flood control at the area. The groundwater indicators (natural vegetations, Quaternary deposits, sandstone out crops, surface lineaments and active wads) were studied using remote data.
Four kinds of geophysical measurements were applied in the field work (magnetic, vertical electrical soundings, two dimension resistivity and refraction seismic) with different targets .These measurements were processed, analyzed and interpreted on the post field work phase .Twenty two magnetic profile were measured in grid form to clarify the structural configuration of the area and detect the thickness of the sedimentary cover. Twenty vertical electrical soundings were measured for testing groundwater probabilities at the sites recommended from the pre field work and magnetic study to detect the best sites for drilling wells .Four tomography (two – dimension resistivity) profiles were measured for geo environmental testing of the proposed dame sites for flash flood control and/or surface water harvesting .Two seismic refraction profiles were measured for geotechnical testing of the bed rocks at the proposed dam sites.
Four out of seven recommended dam sites were suggested for flash flood controls (D4-7) whereas the seven are important for surface water harvesting. Four sites were recommended for drilling wells (W1-4). Final recommendations to perform Geo environmental and geotechnical studies at the outlet of Wadi EL Gaybi and Wadi Hadaba