Groundwater Recharge Potentiality Mapping in Wadi Qena, Eastern Desert Basins of Egypt for Sustainable Agriculture Base Using Geomatics Approaches

In arid and hyper-arid areas, groundwater is a precious and rare resource. The need for water supply has grown over the past few decades as a result of population growth, urbanization, and agricultural endeavors. This research aims to locate groundwater recharge potential zones (GWPZs) using multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) in the Wadi Qena Basin, Eastern Desert of Egypt, which represents one of the most promising valleys on which the government depends for land reclamations and developments. These approaches have been used to integrate and delineate the locations of high groundwater recharge and the potential of the Quaternary aquifer in the Wadi Qena basin. After allocating weight factors to identify features in each case based on infiltration, land use/land cover, slope, geology, topology, soil, drainage density, lineament density, rainfall, flow accumulation, and flow direction, these thematic maps were combined. The results of the GIS modeling led to the division of the area’s groundwater recharge potential into five groups, ranging from very high (in the western part) to very low (in the eastern part of the basin). The zones with the best prospects for groundwater exploration turned out to be the alluvial and flood plains, with their thick strata of sand and gravel. The groundwater recharge potential map was validated using data from the field and earlier investigations. The promising recharging areas show high suitability for soil cultivation. The results overall reveal that RS and GIS methodologies offer insightful instruments for more precise assessment, planning, and monitoring of water resources in arid regions and anywhere with similar setups for groundwater prospecting and management

Groundwater potentiality and evaluation in the Egyptian Nile Valley: case study from Assiut Governorate using hydrochemical, bacteriological approach, and GIS techniques

Abstract Background The expected deficit of the Egyptian share of the River Nile budget with the construction of the Renaissance Dam in Ethiopia necessitates a proper utilization of the water resources in the Nile Valley. The present study aims at characterizing the chemical and bacteriological compositions of the groundwater in the Quaternary and Eocene fractured limestone aquifers in Assuit Governorate as a suggested scheme for the groundwater quality evaluation in the Egyptian River Nile basin. Results We analyzed 92 samples collected from shallow boreholes within 15 km on both sides of the River Nile for major, minor, and trace ions and compared the results to the national and international standards for drinking water. Some chemical data were collected from Assiut Drinking Water Station while some other samples were analyzed chemically and bacteriological in the Laboratories of Science and agriculture faculties and the laboratories of Assiut Drinking & sanitation Company. The groundwater composition is seasonally variable depending on the variation in the local surface water (level composition). The results of bacteriological examination show that the highest most probable number of total coliform was found 5.9 MPN/100 ml and the minimum value of MPN of total coliform was found 1.1 MPN/100 ml. Groundwater potentiality and evaluation for drinking and domestic uses depend on several parameters which must be taken into consideration. Conclusions The current research concluded that the GIS-based water potentiality spatial model (WPSM) indicated that the northwest part and southeast part represented the highest and lowest potentiality respectively for drinking water purposes. The suggested scheme in this study could be a valid tool to evaluate the water quality in the River Nile basin and similar settings worldwide

Remote sensing, GIS and chemical analysis for assessment of environmental impacts on rising of groundwater around Kima Company, Aswan, Egypt

Abstract Background Kima company is located east of the river Nile, 2.5 km south of Aswan City. The Quaternary sands and gravels represent the main groundwater aquifer in the area. It is mainly recharged from the river Nile seepage between the high and the old Aswan Dams. Some water seepage comes from the fish hatchery canal close to the area. The objective is to study the temporal-spatial development of the drainage ponds resulting from the rise of the groundwater level in line with the agricultural and urban development in and around the Kima plant area using chemical analysis and advanced technology (remote sensing and GIS techniques). Results Many wells were drilled and used to pump the groundwater in and south of the area, from which 15 wells that were used to feed Aswan city by drinking water were stopped since 2009. As result, the groundwater level rises and most of the wells of Kima company flooded. The groundwater quality deteriorated and some environmental changes in the surrounding area were detected. Monitoring and analysis of these changes are studied using remote sensing and GIS techniques. The results show an increase in both the surface water bodies (ponds) and urban areas. Conclusions Since 2009, 15 productive drinking water wells were ceased in the study area. It is the main reason which caused more rising of the groundwater level accompanied by increasing of its salinity. The study detected and calculated the area influenced by the groundwater seepage, urbanization, and the agricultural reclamation areas. The successive changes in these parameters throughout the period 2007–2017 are calculated. Rising groundwater levels are expected to be a chronic problem and will likely be a major issue for residential areas of Aswan city