Feasibility of artificial recharge at the Az-Zaqlah depression in Kuwait

Abstract

Nabkhas are stabilized dunes accumulated around desert and sabkha perennial plants. Field studies were carried out and about 160 sediment samples were collected from surface and subsurface of sabkha nabkhas around at southern sector of Sabah Alhmed National Reserve that developed around Nitraria retusa plant species. The studied area shows three different zones of nabkha deposits. These zones are: The deteriorated or dead nabkhas, slightly deteriorated or transitional nabkhas and flourished nabkha zones. In order to prove the water recharge process around sabkha nabkhas in this study, a 15 month period of monthly monitoring was conducted for the groundwater level and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in three wells, one in flourished nabkha zone within a group of nabkhas in one sand body around Nitraria retusa and others in sabkha level beside the nabkha. The survival of thriving nabkhas within a salty sabkha environment is endorsed to the existence of the shallow fresh groundwater lenses floating on the brine water bodies that are recharged by the surface drainage paths and rainwater. The clayey sand body of the sabkha nabkhas have lower pH and carbonates content, and higher values of moisture, TDS and EC than those in desert nabkhas. The Nitraria retusa is the most competent plant species within all plant species in Kuwait in trapping mobile sand as it forms the hugest sand body around it with maximum 5 m3 in volume.