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5821

GROUNDWATER POTENTIALS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF EL-MOGHRA AQUIFER IN THE VICINITY OF QATTARA DEPRESSION

Article

Last updated: 22 Jan 2023

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Tags

Water

Abstract

The study area lies between Wadi El Natrun (-23 m)  in the east and Qattara Depression (-134 m) in the west of the  Northern Western Desert of Egypt. It attains an area of about 150000 km2 and is dominated by a major aquifer unit of clastic facies, namely El-Moghra Aquifer. Such aquifer, has a variable saturated thickness between 100 to 300 m, and is defined to be of Lower Miocene age and of continental to marine depositional environments. Many trials have been made to extract groundwater for irrigation purpose, especially in the eastern portion near Wadi El-Natrun where water salinity is less than 1000 ppm. While in the western portion near Qattara Depression, the water salinity is more than 10,000 ppm, and the groundwater of El-Moghra Aquifer is used widely for oil industry. Actually, the groundwater of more than 70% of the study area is still unexplored.                      The main objectives of the present work are to focus on the configuration of El-Moghra Aquifer in the study area including its physical, chemical and hydraulic properties through the investigation of about 200 wells. The assessment of aquifer potentials as well as its lateral and vertical changes is one of the main targets of the present study. The aquifer in the area to the east of Longitude 29o 00' 00'' is proved to be under unconfined condition and is evidently connected with the Nile Delta Aquifer, while that to the west of Longitude 29o 00' 00'' is confined and subjected to upward leakage from younger and deeper aquifers. The pumping tests (9 experiments) carried out in the area indicate highly productive aquifer in Wadi El-Farigh (unconfined aquifer) with transmissivity ranging between 720 and 6500 m2/day, and low productive aquifer west of El-Moghra Depression (confined aquifer) with transmissivity ranging between 61 and 600 m2/day. Changes of water chemistry due to variation in the depositional environment and source of recharge have also been assessed and genetically classified.  The water salinity–water level relationship has revealed a very coherent picture about the fresh water–saline water interface, as well as delineation of promising areas within the study area for different purposes of development.  The area to the east of water level 27 m below sea level has water salinity less than 2000 ppm covering an area of about 375000 hectare, within a distance of about 75 km, which is suitable for agriculture and domestic water uses. Additional area to the west of water level -27 m is about 488000 hectare having salinity between 2000 and 5000 ppm can be used for cultivation of salt tolerant crops. The water quality data have been also used for the differentiation between the continental and marine facies of the aquifer, as well as for the detection of the recharge sources and flow direction.

DOI

10.21608/ejdr.2013.5821

Keywords

Groundwater, hydraulic parameters, water level, groundwater salinity, Egypt

Authors

First Name

Salah

Last Name

Abdel Mogith

MiddleName

M.

Affiliation

Department of Hydrology, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt

Email

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City

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Orcid

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First Name

Sawsan

Last Name

Ibrahim

MiddleName

M.M.

Affiliation

Department of Hydrology, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt

Email

sawsanmoselhy@yahoo.com

City

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Orcid

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First Name

Ragab

Last Name

Hafiez

MiddleName

A.

Affiliation

Department of Hydrology, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt

Email

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City

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Orcid

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Volume

63

Article Issue

1

Related Issue

1024

Issue Date

2013-12-01

Receive Date

2018-03-30

Publish Date

2013-12-01

Page Start

1

Page End

20

Print ISSN

1687-8043

Online ISSN

2356-9875

Link

https://ejdr.journals.ekb.eg/article_5821.html

Detail API

https://ejdr.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=5821

Order

1

Type

Original Article

Type Code

117

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Egyptian Journal of Desert Research

Publication Link

https://ejdr.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

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Details

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Article

Created At

22 Jan 2023