Abstract
The paper assesses groundwater quality and productivity in Haromaya watershed, eastern Ethiopia. Continuous pumping test data, collected from seven boreholes was used to determine productivity of the aquifers. 14 water samples were tested for water quality. The aquifers on the basis of permeability, potential and extent of aquifers, are categorized into i) extended and shallow aquifers with intergranular porosity and permeability, and with moderate to high potential (alluvial and lacustrine sediments); ii) limited and shallow aquifers with fracture and/or karstic porosity and permeability, and with moderate potential (sandstone and limestone); and iii) limited and shallow aquifers with intergranular and fracture porosity and permeability, and with low potential (granite). On the basis of chemical data, the water is fresh except in lacustrine and swampy areas. HCO3-, Ca2+, Na+ and Mg2+ are the dominating ions in water from granite, sandstone and alluvium; and Cl and SO4 dominate in water from lacustrine sediments apart from HCO3-, Ca2+, Na+ and Mg2+. Areas suitable for groundwater development in the area are discussed. Keywords: Aquifer, Ethiopia, Groundwater potential, Haromaya, Hydrogeochemistry.
Highlights
The study area, Haromaya watershed in eastern Ethiopia, is currently serving as a source of groundwater supply for the three major towns: Harar, Alemaya, Awaday and Haromaya
4.1 Hydrogeology 4.1.1 Aquifer Types Different rocks and unconsolidated sediments in the study area which behave as aquifers have been classified on the basis of permeability which they exhibit and the extent of the aquifer
4.1.2 Aquifer Characteristics Groundwater occurrence and its reservoirs are mainly controlled by the type of geology, degree of geological weathering or geological structures, and geomorphology of the area
Summary
The study area, Haromaya watershed in eastern Ethiopia, is currently serving as a source of groundwater supply for the three major towns: Harar, Alemaya, Awaday and HaromayaUniversity main campus, besides the rural areas where the farmers are extracting groundwater for different purposes. Sandstone unit is outcropping in the eastern, northeastern, northwestern, western, and southwestern parts of the watershed and overlie the basement granite, and occupies 14.3% of the mapped area. Towards the mountain front, which is in the northeastern and eastern parts of the watershed, where steep topographic slopes exist and the gradient of the rivers is high, the alluvial sediments, in general, are dominated by sub-angular to sub-rounded coarse grained fragments with variable content of coarse grained sand.
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