The general hydrogeology of the south Sinjar plain was studied
and correlated with the adjacent anticlinal area to its east.
This old plain is underlain by the Upper Fars Formation of
Upper Miocene age while the foothills to the east are underlain
by the Lower Fars Formation of Middle Miocene age. The
oldest formation is exposed in the core of the highest mountain
in the area, Sinjar, which provides the northern limit of the
watershed of the area. The extensive aquifers of the Upper
Fars Formation bear fresher waters than the less important Lower
Fars aquifers, although the latter have played an important role
in the deposition of economic sulfur in many of the anticlines.
The average annual rainfall in the area ranges between 200 and
400 mm and provides enough replenishment for the aquifers to be
sufficient for agricultural and stock use.
The data collected from the field includes water level measurements
in the different aquifers, ground water conductivity, pH,
temperature and representative water samples. More than two
hundred such samples were analyzed in detail together with
previously available analyses, making a total of 326 samples
available for interpretation. -11.
The flow of ground water was studied from prepared water level
maps and the characteristics of the aquifers studied from the
experimental pumping tests in the field. The major problem in
this area is the poor quality of the ground water. This feature
has been studied with the application of computer programmes
which have dealt with all the available analyses, and have given
clear classification for the different waters in the aquifers.
These results have also been correlated with the geological
classification of water