Contribution to the hydrogeology of the Lower Cretaceous aquifer in east Central Sinai, Egypt

Abstract

The present work deals with the groundwater aquifer of the Lower Cretaceous sandstone and its sustainable development in Sinai. The studied aquifer system is the most promising groundwater system in Sinai due to its wide extension, hug storage, and good quality. The objective of this paper aims to elucidate the hydrogeological characteristics of the Lower Cretaceous aquifer. The aquifer system occurs under confined conditions. The top surface of the Lower Cretaceous dips steeply towards the southwest direction with step faults. The average sand percent of the penetrated aquifer attains 54%. The main direction of groundwater flow is generally from southwest and locally is concentric to the center of study area related to the influence of the graben block. The aquifer has a hydraulic gradient generally reaches 0.0011 m/m and attains 0.0028 in central portion of study area. The aquifer parameters (effective porosity, transmissivity, and hydraulic conductivity) increase towards the northeast direction with increasing of the sand percentage. Durov diagram plot revealed that the groundwater has been a final stage evolution represented by a NaCl water type. The groundwater salinity increases towards the central of study area coinciding with groundwater flow. The groundwater salinity of the Lower Cretaceous aquifer is brackish water and varies from 2,510 to 5,256 ppm and unsuitable for drinking and domestic purposes.