Hydrogeophysical Investigation of Underground Water in Sabon Kaura Community, Bauchi, Nigeria

Abstract

Hydrogeophysics is the investigation of underground formations to understand the hydrologic cycle using geophysical techniques, which aids to understand the groundwater quality and type of aquifer. One of the surface geophysical methods is the Vertical Electrical Sounding; it is effective in the investigation of layer resistivity and thicknesses of layers at various depths of interest as well as aquifer thickness. Twenty (20) VES points were sounded with maximum spread AB/2 of 60 m. The VES data was processed using IPI2 win and sounding curves obtained at most combinations which include HA, QH, KHK, KHA, A and H. The sounding curves were observed to have five layers at most: the first layer resistivity and thickness ranges (53.1–606 Ωm, 0.545–6.24 m) followed by the second layer ranging (7.7–730 Ωm, 2.17–20.4 m) and the third layer act in most of the VES as the aquiferous zone which ranges from (19–160000 Ωm, 17.2–20.1 m); jiggling was also observed within the fractured-fresh crystalline basement which represents fractures. The recommended depth of drilling ranges from 50–60 m over granite/bauchite where extensive weathering and fracturing is observed and over migmatite and gneiss 70–80 m as only fracturing was observed at deeper depth. The yield anticipated in the recommendation is moderate-high with a very low or low yield from the non-recommended VES.