Kh Gemail

To understand the impact of sea level rise (SLR) and aquifer intensive use would cause to the groundwater level and saltwater intrusion, an integrated relationship between salinity and electrical resistivity of a Quaternary aquifer is established in the northern part of East Nile Delta (El Sharkia area), Egypt. Historical data of groundwater salinity are mapped and compared with the current water samples to better understand the salinity spatial variability. The salinity maps show that salinization has increased sustainably. Additionally, the transition/dynamic zone related to SLR and/or excessive pumping can be addressed. In particular, the surface DC resistivity soundings were carried out to demonstrate the vertical and horizontal salinity distributions in the area. In the course of this study, the 1D model generation using a hybrid genetic algorithm (GA) was applied and tested using borehole information. The constructed geoeletrical cross-sections emphasize and delineate the extension of saltwater intrusion. Cleary, it is found that due to excessive pumping from shallow wells over the last decades, the subsurface resistivity and TDS vertical distributions can change rapidly within a short distance. Additionally, the results show that despite the dominance of brackish and saltwater at the northern part of the area, perched low conductive lenses are observed reflecting a low level of groundwater salinization. To obtain a link between water salinity and aquifer resistivity, an empirical relationship was derived to predict the salinity variations at different depths. In comparison with the measured total dissolved solids (TDS), the predicted salinity map appears realistic. These results demonstrate the important role of the integration between resistivity and salinity measurements for mapping the groundwater salinization with depth, and call for further research to plan and manage the area's water resources.

Remote sensing ASTER-SWIR data and airborne geophysical techniques are cost effective and accurate mapping tools for mineral exploration and environmental mapping, compared with the conventional geological methods. In the present work, the ASTER data, airborne gamma ray spectrometry and magnetic techniques were applied for mapping alteration and/or mineralization zones in the granitic rocks of Gabal Dara area. In addition, the natural dose rate was calculated and compared with stream networks and structural lineaments to define the potential hazards caused by anomalous distribution of natural radioelements. In Gabal Dara area, Syeno-granite unit was considered as a mapping target due to the high concentration of radioactive materials as indicated from gamma-ray spectrometry data. Remote sensing techniques and airborne geophysical data analysis through GIS based modeling were jointly applied in a mineral exploration context to identify radioactive rich potential areas in the considered area. The obtained results illustrate the efficiency of the integrated methodological approach as an effective tool to provide information on alteration minerals which are valuable for mineral exploration activities and support the role of ASTER VNIR-SWIR and airborne geophysical data integration as a very effective tool and robust image processing technique for that purpose. The constructed vector maps can be used as a guide for further follow-up of radioelement and mineral exploration works and for environmental monitoring in the area.

The use of wastewater for irrigation in sandy soil increases the pollution risk of the soil and may infiltrate to the shallow groundwater aquifer. In such environment, some important parameters need to be obtained for monitoring the wastewater in the unsaturated zone over the aquifer. These parameters include clay content, heterogeneities of the upper soils, depth to the aquifer and the variations of groundwater quality. In the present work, the efficiency of DC resistivity method in forms of 1-D and 2-D measurements was studied for wastewater monitoring in the Gabal el Asfar farm, northeast of Cairo, Egypt. Forty-one Schlumberger soundings (VES) were performed then followed by three pole-dipole 2-D profiles along some considered regions within the area. The resistivity measurements were integrated with the boreholes, hydrogeological and hydrochemical (surface and groundwater samples) information to draw a clear picture for the subsurface conditions. The obtained results were presented as cross sections and 3-D visualization to trace the clay intercalations within the unsaturated zone. In addition, a vulnerability map was created using the obtained results from 1-D Schlumberger survey and confirmed with the 2-D resistivity profiling. The obtained results have shown that the 2-D resistivity imaging technique is a powerful tool for mapping the small-scale variability within the unsaturated zone and the wastewater infiltration. However, limitations of resistivity techniques were observed in the area with limited resistivity contrast such as thin clay layers with brackish water background. Under that condition, the measured pattern of resistivity distributions depends on the applied electrode array, electrode spacing and using the available geological information during the inversion process.

ABSTRACT 1D resistivity sounding and 2D resistivity imaging surveys were integrated with geological and hydrochemical data to assess the aquifer vulnerability and saltwater intrusion in the north of Nile Delta, Egypt. In the present study, the El-Gharbyia main drain was considered as a case study to map the sand bodies within the upper silt and clay aquitard. Twenty Schlumberger soundings and six 2D dipole–dipole profiles were executed along one profile close to the western side of the main drain. In addition, 14 groundwater samples and 4 surface water samples from the main drain were chemically analyzed to obtain the major and trace elements concentrations. The results from the resistivity and hydrochemical data were used to assess the protection of the groundwater aquifer and the potential risk of groundwater pollution. The inverted resistivities and thicknesses of the layers above the aquifer layer were used to estimate the integrated electrical conductivity (IEC) that can be used for quantification of aquifer vulnerability. According to the aquifer vulnerability assessment of an underlying sand aquifer, the southern part of the area is characterized by high vulnerability zone with slightly fresh to brackish groundwater and resistivity values of 11–23 Ω.m below the clay cap. The resistivity sections exhibit some sand bodies within the clay cap that lead to increase the recharging of surface waste water (650 mg/l salinity) and flushing the upper part of underlying saltwater aquifer. The region in the north has saltwater with resistivity less than 6 Ω.m and local vulnerable zones within the clay cap. The inverted 2D dipole–dipole profiles in the vulnerable zones, in combination with drilling information have allowed the identification of subsoil structure around the main drain that is highly affected by waste water.