Determination of Aquifer Hydraulic Characteristics from Surface Electrical and Borehole Measurements in Ozoro, Nigeria

Abstract

Surface electrical and borehole measurements were undertaken in order to establish the hydraulic characteristics of alluvial aquifer in Ozoro, Delta State. Ten vertical electrical sounding data were acquired using Schlumberger Configuration. Borehole measurements which included pumping test, well logging and the distribution of grain size analysis were also carried out. The results of the electrical sounding indicate that the aquiferous layer is located between the fourth and fifth layers with resistivity ranged from 53.5 Ωm - 1279 Ωm. The aquifer thickness ranged from 7.67 m - 49.4 m and transmissivity values ranged from 41.4 - 330.5 𝑚2/day. The average hydraulic conductivity (k) value obtained is 6.2 m/day. The borehole lithology, resistivity and spontaneous potential log indicate the subsurface lithology to consists of top soil (brownish), clayey sand, clay, fine sand and gravelly sand. The Cooper Jacob solution was used in the analysis of the borehole pumping experiment and the obtained hydraulic conductivity, transmissivity, storativity and specific capacity are 6.8 m/day, 0.067 m2/min (96.48 𝑚2/day), 25.47 and 0.364 m2/min (524.6 m2/day) respectively. Also, the grain size distribution analysis using the Hazen approximation gave hydraulic conductivity as 11.55 m/day. The results showed that all three methods are applicable for determining aquifer hydraulic parameters.