Hydrogeophysical investigation at El Moghra Area, North Western Desert, Egypt

Abstract

El Moghra area, in the western desert of Egypt, is an important part of the national reclamation project (1.5 million acres—6.07 × 109 m2), which depends on the groundwater of El Moghra Formation (MF), the main aquifer in this area. Moghra Oasis and its surroundings are characterized by vast areas of good soil, which are favorable for agricultural development. In this respect, ambitious plans and successful programs are urgently required. Thirty-one vertical electrical sounding stations (VES’s) were measured in El Moghra. The results of quantitative interpretation of such stations and well logging data indicate that the subsurface stratigraphy of the investigated area consists of six geo-electrical units where the main aquifer is represented by the fourth and sixth units intercalated with a clay unit (fifth unit). Thirteen boreholes of depth reaching 200 m are drilled in the study area. The hydrochemical analyses for collected samples indicate that the salinity of the groundwater in the Moghra area increases with depth. The result of the pumping test for boreholes indicates that the efficiency of the wells is ranging from 65 to 96% of the average value of 84.5%. The aquifer has transmissivity which represents a highly potential aquifer.