Abstract
Discovering, studying and determining the hydrogeoelectrical properties of the aquifer at the new area by using resistivity sounding parameters are difficult and need high accuracy in measurements and interpretation. The hydrogeological settings of the area of northwest Al Hurghada town are not studied on large scale by using the surface geophysical measurements before this study. So, for this aim, 24 vertical electrical soundings (VESs) were measured and interpreted. Discovering of groundwater aquifer along the main wadi called Wadi Om Dehas especially to the Far East, adds to determine the main lithology, shaly sandstone, sandstone and sandstone to limestone, of the aquifer and the complicated structural setting at form of inferred faults by using VESs curves, were the main tenets at this study for studying their effects on the correlation coefficient (R2) between the electric and hydraulic parameters of the aquifer. Accordingly, the two suggested locations were chosen for drilling and their results were as expected from VESs interpretation. The interpretation results using the true resistivity values assisted in delineating the complicated facies, heterogeneity of aquifer rock units and in expecting the flow direction of groundwater along the area. The relationship between the resistivity with transverse resistance and longitudinal conductance was carried out and assisted strongly in separating aquifer rock units. The heterogeneity and water salinity at different directions affected the strong relationship between the resistivity and transverse resistance where in case of shaly sandstone and sandstone it was weak but strong in case of sandstone to limestone. The hydraulic conductivity of aquifer was calculated using the transverse resistance. The transverse resistance was used in calculating the transmissivity and concluded that there is complicating and changing in its values from depth to others and from location to other due to the effect of structure and heterogeneity. This confirmed that the geological and hydrogeological settings of the area are more complicated. So, according to the relationship between the hydraulic conductivity (Kh) and resistivity (ρt), it can be said that it is strongly controlled by the nature of the aquifer rock units either heterogeneous or homogeneous. Accordingly, it can only use the last creating empirical equation in calculating the expected transmissivity values of the recorded water-bearing sandstone to limestone rocks at this area with taking into account the calculated value of R2 between both depending on the statistical analysis.
Highlights
The groundwater is a very important source for industry, agriculture and domestic purposes, especially in arid and semiarid areas like the area under study
The quantitative interpretation of the field data, (VESCs), depended on Zohdy’s technique (1989), for initial model, and the Rinvert’s software (1999) for forward and inverse model to estimate the electrical parameters, which are assisting in predicting the hydrogeological properties of the recorded water-bearing layers with depths
All these results may reflect the vertical and lateral changes in the rock constitution of the shallow section penetrated by the electric current
Summary
The groundwater is a very important source for industry, agriculture and domestic purposes, especially in arid and semiarid areas like the area under study. Lattman and Parizek (1964), Siddiqui and Parizek (1971), Parizek (1976), Frohlich et al (1996), Chandra et al (2006), Solomon and Ghebreab (2008) concluded that the detection of faults and their trends are interesting in detecting groundwater aquifers and their continuity and discontinuity and in controlling its flowing These faults affect more the lateral resistivity variation of the subsurface layers. Geological and hydrogeological properties of this aquifer, it is assumed that the saturated pores of the recorded aquifer are distributed horizontally and vertically and may be controlled or affected by structure tectonics such as faults. These features may be important in feeding this aquifer and controlling its groundwater quality added to determine the locations of low and high groundwater accumulation
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
