An assessment of water resources in Sinai Peninsula, using conventional and isotopic techniques, Egypt

Abstract

This paper aims to reveal and to assess the groundwater availability of major multi-layered aquifer systems in Sinai. Eight major aquifer systems were identified in Sinai. These major aquifer systems spread under large areas of Sinai (61,000 km2). Isotopic characteristics for each aquifer system were expressed in terms of Oxygen-18(δ18O), deuterium (δ2H) as well as the characteristics of deuterium excess (d-excess). The hydrologic difference is reflected by d-excess instead of δ18O. The low 'd-excess' values (≤ 10) as 6‰ for quaternary aquifer and 8.6‰ for Nubian sandstones aquifer suggest that there is significant evaporation of rainwater leaving the residual groundwater with lower values of 'd-excess'. High d-excess values (> 10‰) are largely from the Jurassic and Eocene aquifers with 12‰ for Jurassic and from 9 to 11‰ for Eocene aquifers respectively. Isotopic data have reflected different slopes and different constants expressing the non-homogeneity in the isotopic composition of rainwater recharging the aquifers of Sinai, due to the presence of different air masses.