Integrated geoelectrical and hydrogeological studies on Wadi Qena, Egypt

Abstract

The study of ground water resources in the arid regions has a great importance to the scarcity of water resources. So, the present work aims to identify the main aquifers in south Wadi Qana area. Wadi Qana is a wide valley in western desert and extending southwards for some 170km from the South Galala Plateau to its broad fanning delta located on the Nile Valley plain east of Qena town. Fifty-four Vertical Electrical Soundings (VES) were measured in the study area by using AB/2 ranging from 1.5 to 1000m. The quantitative interpretations of the field curves exhibited four geoelectrical successions and each succession is formed of seven geoelectrical units and there are two main water-bearing units act as aquifers, where the third geoelectrical unit appears in the south of the study area act as Quaternary aquifer and the sixth geoelectrical unit appears in the north of the study area act as Nubian aquifers. Ten water samples have been analyzed for different water quality parameters. The results reveal that TDS values are more than 1000ppm where groundwater becomes unsuitable for drinking and other domestic uses and could be used for irrigation and some industrial activities under certain precautions.