GEOPHYSICAL APPROACH TO DELINEATE GROUNDWATER POTENTIALS IN THE NORTHWESTERN PART OF WADI DARA, EASTERN DESERT, EGYPT | ||
| Egyptian Journal of Desert Research | ||
| Volume 72, Issue 1, June 2022, Pages 157-178 PDF (1.41 M) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejdr.2022.155240.1113 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Aza Mohamed Abdel Rahman* ; Fardous Mohamed Zarif; Ahmed Mohamed Elshenawy | ||
| Department of Geophysical Exploration, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| The applied geophysical investigations attempt to locate the waterbearing layer(s) that are regarded as the most important elements for the development objectives, which are developed northwest of Wadi Dara, east of the Gulf of Suez. To investigate the condition of groundwater potentials, twenty-five Transients Electromagnetic [TEM] soundings and six two-dimensional Electrical Resistivity Imaging [2D-ERI] lines were conducted. The results of the two geophysical methods detected four main geoelectrical layers (Quaternary alluvium deposits [A], layer of dry sand, gravel and shale [B], waterbearing layer/s [C], and basement rocks [D]). Two aquifers were identified during this study. The first aquifer [sublayer C1] corresponds to sandstone, shale, and limestone deposits of the Middle Miocene age. It has low resistivity values ranging from 3 Ωm to 9 Ωm and is restricted to the east direction. This sublayer had a thickness of about 50 m. The second aquifer [sublayer C2] corresponds to Lower Cretaceous sandstone, which has resistivity values ranging from 13 Ωm to 106 Ωm. It was observed that subsurface geological structures have a significant effect on groundwater occurrences throughout the study area. As a result, the generated geoelectrical cross sections show an apparent connectivity between the two aquifers. Because of variability in resistivity values and thicknesses, the groundwater potential varies throughout the studied area. The western portions of the study areas have priority for drilling productive wells into the lower Cretaceous sandstone aquifer, and then the eastern portions offer groundwater from deposits of sandstone, shale, and limestone of the Middle Miocene age. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Wadi Dara; water bearing; electromagnetic; electrical resistivity imaging; aquifers | ||
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