Assessment of Aquifer Vulnerability and Groundwater Prospects Using Electrical Resistivity Method in Parts of Nnewi Southeastern Nigeria
Okolo C. M.
Department of Geological Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
Emecheta C. I.
Department of Geological Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
Madu F. M. *
Department of Geological Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The assessment of the aquifer vulnerability and groundwater potential of Umudim, Okpunoeze, Umudimkwa and Okpunoegbu all in Nnewi town of Anambra state southeastern Nigeria was carried out. An electrical resistivity survey using vertical electrical sounding (VES) employing a Schlumberger electrode array was conducted in fifteen locations (A-0). Also, the data generated was used to interpret the aquifer thickness which ranged from 23.12-108.83m and the depth to the water table ranged from 25.41-99.42m. Additionally, the aquifer properties such as hydraulic conductivity (0.1227 to 3.0931m/day) and transmissivity (3.9139 to 79.3152m2/day) and the Dar-Zarrouk parameters longitudinal conductance (0.00107 to 0.0246Ωm) and transverse resistance (3.6 x 103 to 2.3 x 105Ωm2) were obtained. The VES curves identified were mostly K with some A and H types. At least five to six geoelectric layers were identified with the aquiferous units occurring in the fourth and fifth layers respectively. Multi-aquifer types such as unconfined and semi-confined aquifers exist in the study area, resulting in good prospects for groundwater development with a potential increase towards the western parts of the study area. Finally, the protective capacity was rated as poor indicating the aquifers are vulnerable to pollution from surface infiltration. The protective capacity was positively influenced by the overburden thickness and the clay content of the geologic materials.
Keywords: Groundwater potential, aquifer vulnerability, protective capacity, hydraulic properties and longitudinal conductance
How to Cite
Downloads
References
Freeze RA, Cherry JA. Groundwater Pretice-Hall, Inc, England Cliffs, N.J. 1979.
Reilly T, Dennehy KF, Alley WM, Cunningham WL. Groundwater availability in the United State. US Geological Society Circular. 2008;1323:70.
Bayewu OO, Oloruntola MO, Mosuro GO, Laniyana TA, Ariyo SO, Fatoba JO. Assessment of groundwater prospects and aquifer protective capacity using resistivity method in Olabisi Onabanjo University Campus Ago-Iwoye, Southwestern Nigeria. NRIAG Journal of Astronomy and Geophysics. 2018;7:347-360.
Emecheta CI, Okolo CM, Okpara AO, Ifeanyichukwu KA, Madu FM. Potential impacts of Okpuno Egbu dumpsite on groundwater resources in parts of Nnewi, Southeastern Nigeria. Journal of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences International. 2023;27(8): 51-72.
Ebong ED, Akpan AE, Onwegbuche AA. Estimation of geohydraualic aquifer of Abi (Nig) using electrical resistivity and hydrogeologic measurements. Journal of African Earth Sci. 2014;96: 99-109.
Stempvoort DV, Ewart I, Wassenaar L. Aquifer vulnerability index; a GIS compactible method for groundwater vulnerability mapping. Canadian Water Resources Journal. 1993;18(1): 25-37.
Nugraha GU, Goal KC, Itartanto P, Bakti H. Aquifer vulnerability – its protection and management – A case study in Pangkalpinang City, Indonesia Int. J. of Geophysics. 2020;8(7): 162-184.
Okolo CM, Akudinobi BEB, Obiadi II. Evalution of water resources of some satellite towns in the central part of Anambra State SE Nigeria. Sustainable Water Resources Management. 2020;6(6): 102.
Todd D and Mays L. Groundwater Hydrology, 3rd Ed, John Wiley and Sons Inc. Hoboken: 2005;652.
Anakwuba EK, Okolo CM, Ahaneku CV, Chibuzor SN, Chinwuko AI. Hydrogeological and water quality evaluation of parts of River Mamu Sub-Basin, Southeastern Nigeria. Bulletin of the Mineral Research and Exploration. 167, 65-82;2021. Available:https://doi.org/10.19111/bulletinofmre.941090
Tijani MN, Obini N, Inim I. Estimation of aquifer hydraulic parameters and protective capacity in basement aquifer of south-western Nigeria using geophysical techniques. Environmental Earth Sciences. 2021;80(14). DOI: 10.1007/S12665-021-09759-4
Pehme PE. Groundwater geophysics; A tool for hydrology. Environmental and Engineering Geoscience. 2011;17(1):96-98.
Vagelgesang JA, Holt N, Schillong KE, Gannon M, Tassier-Surine S.. Using high-level resolution electrical resistivity to estimate hydraulic conductivity and improve characterization of alluvial aquifers. Journal of Hydrology. 2020;580: 123.
Gemail Kh. S, El-Shishtawy AM, Alfy M, Ghoneim MF, Abd El-Bary MH. Assessment of aquifer vulnerability to industrial waste water using resistivity measurements. A case study, along El-Gharbyia main drain, Nile Delta, Egypt. Journal of Applied Geophysics. 2011;75: 140-150.
Achilike KO. Hydrogeophysical studies for the determination of aquifer hydraulic characteristics and evaluation of groundwater potential: A case study of some selected parts of Imo River Basin, South Eastern Nigeria. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications. 2020;10(7):738-755.
Okonkwo A, Ugwu GZ. Determination of Dar-Zarrouk parameters for prediction of aquifer protective capacity: A case of Agbani Sandstone aquifer, Enugu State, Southeastern Nigeria. Environmental Science, Geology; 2015. DOI:10.14303/IRJGM2015.107
Putranto TT, Yusrizal MBS. Determining the groundwater vulnerability using the aquifer vulnerability index (AVI) in the Salatiga groundwater basin in Indonesia. In C. Karim, R. Azrianingsih MA, Pamungkas YD, Jatmiko, Safitri A (Eds.), AIP Conference Proceedings American Institute of Physics Inc; 2018. Available:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5062740
Mfonka Z, Ndam JK, Ngroupayon PD, Ndijgun K. A GIS based DRASTIC and GOD models for assessing alterites aquifer of three experimental watersheds in Foumban (Western Cameroon). Groundwater for Sustainability Development. 2018;7:250-264.
Henriet JP. Direct Applications of the Dar Zarrouk Parameters in groundwater surveys. Geophysical Prospecting. 1976; 24:344-353.
Ankidawa BA, Ishaku JM, Hassan AA.Estimation of aquifer transmissivity using Dar- Zarrouk parameters derived from resistivity soundings on the floodplain of River Dadin Kowa, Gombe State, Northeastern Nigeria. Computational Engineering and Physical Modeling. 2018;1-4:36-52.
Hasan M, Islam MA, Hasan MA, Alam MJ, Peas MH. Groundwater vulnerability assessment in Savar Upazila of Dhaka district, Bangladash – a GIS- based DRASTIC modelling. Groundwater for Sustainable Development. 2019;9 article 100220.
Nwajide CS. Geology of Nigeria’s Sedimentary Basins. 2nd Ed Albishara Educational Publications, Enugu. 2013;321 – 332
Short KC, Stauble AJ. Outline of the geology of the Niger Delta. AAPG Bull. 1967;51:761-779.
Onuigbo EN, Okoro AU, Etu-Efeotor JO, Akpunonu EO, Okeke HC. Palaeoecology of enugu and manu formations in Anambra Basin Southeastern Nigeria. Advances in Applied Science Research. 2015;6(4):25–39.
Okezie CN, Onogu SA. The lignite of the southeastern Nigeria Geological Survey of Nigeria. Occasional Paper. 1985; 10:28.
Egboka BCE. Water Resources problem in the Enugu Area of Enugu State. Nigerian Journal of Mining Geology. 1993;20: 1–6
Igbozulike MU. Vegetation types in Oformata, G.E.K. Edition. Nigeria in Maps Eastern State, Ethiopia Publishing House Benin. 1975;27-28.
Bhattacharya PK, Patra HP. Direct Current Geoelectric Sounding: Principles and Interpretation. Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc., Amsterdam. 1968;117-136.
Chakravarthi V, Shankar GBK, Muralidharan D, Harinarayana T, Sundararajan N. An Integrated Geophysical Approach for Imaging Subbasalt Sedimentary Basins: Case Study of Jam River Basin, India. Geophysics. 2007;72(6):141–147.
Zohdy AAR, Eaton GP, Mabey DR. Application of Surface Geophysics to groundwater investigations. United State Geophysical Survey, Washington. 1974; 54.
Maillet R. The fundamental equations of electrical prospecting. Geophysics. 1947;12:529–556.
Nwosu L, Nwankwo C, Ekine A. Delineating aquifer systems using Dar-Zarrouk parameters determine from surface geoelectric survey: Case study of Okigwe District, Southeastern Nigeria. Basic Journal of Applied Science and Technology. 2014;4(34): 4751-4770.
Duprat A, Simler L. Ungemach P. Contribution de la prospection elelctrique a la recherche des caracteristiques hydrodynamiquesdum milieu aquifer. Terres Faux. 1970;23:23-31
Fajana AO. Groundwater aquifer potential using electrical resistivity method and porosity calculations: A case study. NRIAG Journal of Astronomy and Geophysics. 2020;9(1): Available:http://doi.org//10.1080/20909977.2020.1728955
George NJ, Ibuot JC, Obiora DN. Geoelectrohydraulic parameters of shallow sandy aquifer in Itu, Akwan Ibom state (Nigeria) using geoelectric and hydrogeological measurements. Journal of Africa Earth Scs. 2015;110:52-63.
Ifeanyichukwu KA, Akudinobi BEB, Onwe IM, Chizoba CJ. Hydrochemical characterization of groundwater quality in Nkalagu District, Southeastern Nigeria. Asian Journal of Environment & Ecology. 2021;14(2):34-50.
Ogungbemi OS, Badmus GO, Ayeni OG, Ologe O. Geo- electric Investigation of Aquifer Vulnerability within Afe Babalola University, Ado–Ekiti, Southwestern Nigeria. Journal of Applied Geology and Geophysics. 2013;1:28-34.
Obiora DN, Ibuot JC. Geophysical assessment of aquifer vulnerability and management; A case study of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State. Applied Water Science. 2020; 10(29).