This paper examines the rise in the level of the groundwater in the Quaternary aquifer at Aswan city, Upper Egypt. Since the 1960’s, the areal extent of Aswan City and the urban populations are growing at a high pace which introduces new sources of water that increase groundwater recharge. As a result of leakages or infiltrations from different sources, the natural groundwater balance is overturned into an unbalance where the input to water table is comparatively much more than the natural groundwater flow towards the Nile River. The present study shows a variation in the groundwater level, from 1971 up to 2014, where the water table rising ranges between 12.55 and 13.69 m. Also, it shows an abrupt increase in the water levels in 2010 continuing up till now. The groundwater rising phenomena that happened in 2010 can be directly refereed to the cessation of groundwater pumping from El-Shallal wells, and to the reduction of pumping from KIMA factory wells. Generally, the rate of water rising is much higher in the western side of the city and in Kima factory area, where they are characterized by low relief and dense population. The most troublesome groundwater mounds under urban areas are likely to develop in low-lying areas of relatively high permeability aquifer, which is not exploited for water supply. These damages will become more widespread if the rising groundwater table remains uncontrolled. The environmental impact of the water rising includes: forming ponds in low lying areas (Kima and El Shallal ponds), flooding building’s basements, and inundating underground infrastructure. A general deterioration in groundwater quality was identified.
The area under investigation (Aswan City) is situated along the Nile Valley in the southern part of Egypt. It is located adjacent to the east bank of the Nile River, bounded by latitudes 24˚01'30" and 24˚06'30"N and longitudes 32˚52' and 32˚56'E (
Over last few years, a rise in groundwater levels has been observed in several parts. Raising groundwater levels have the potential to inundate underground infrastructure, flooding basements and submerging sewer pipes and utility lines that deliver water and electricity. The magnitude of anthropic impacts upon their environment makes humans the major geologic agent on the surface of the planet [
This work aims to review the causes of changes in groundwater levels in Aswan region which is under the subtropical arid region conditions. The geo-environmental impact of the rising water-level and their consequences on the built environment will be considered.
Over the last few years, a steady rise in groundwater levels has been observed in several parts of Aswan City. This reflect environmental problems existing in many areas of the city, where it creates swamps and ponds and affects the basement of many buildings as it is shown in El-Seil, KhorAwada, Phatemic graves, El-Aqad buildings, Blood Bank, Military building, El Shallal and KIMA factory area (
Geomorphologically, Aswan City area can be divided into three main units: low elevated lands (Aswan plain); high elevated lands; and the Nile River channel (
Location map of drilled wells and profiles in the study area
Rising groundwater level affecting areas: (a) KhorAwada, (b) El-Seil, (c) Phatemic graves area, and (d) Aswan stadium
1) Low lands (Aswan plains): are underlain by the urban areas of Aswan city and can be divided into two main parts. The western plain that extends along El Sadat road up to Atlas area northward, while the eastern plain extends along El Samad road (
2) The highlands: the more extensive one bounded the study area from its eastern side (elevations vary from 164 to 188 m). Few wadis incise this highland and directed from east to west, W. El-Keimab and W. Al-Haytah (
3) The Nile River Course forms the western limit of Aswan City area (the approximately water level is +85 m). Aswan Dam (Khazan Aswan) with its water reservoir is situated to the south of Aswan city where the water level ranges between 106 and 118 m.
The general geology of Aswan area is relatively well known and has been studied by several investigators [
The following lithological units were exposed in the study area (
• The basement rocks represent the oldest rocks (Precambrian age) and mainly exposed in the many parts of the study area (
• The Nubian Sandstone rocks of Cambrian to cretaceous age [
Hydrogeological profiles along the study area (2014)
the study area. It exposed at high lands in the central part (El Shikh Haroon plateau) and the eastern part and unconformably lies over the basement complex (
• The Quaternary sediments are represented by sands, gravels and clays of the Pleistocene time, and by mud and Aeolian sediments of the recent. They are underlain by a thick bed of Pliocene clays [
Hydrogeologicaly, few has been published on the hydrogeology of Aswan city area due to the limited amount that groundwater used for public water supply. The Quaternary sediments represent the main aquifer in the studied area and outcropped in two geomorphologic low lands (Aswan plains) which will be outlined in the following.
At the western plain (along El Sadat road): The quaternary aquifer is consists of unconsolidated sediments of sands, gravels, and clays enriched of smectite minerals group of the Pleistocene time. These sediments are unconformably overlies the basement rocks and fill the floor of the low lands with a thickness vary from few meters to less than 20 m. basement rocks outcrops in many parts along the western part of the study area as in El Karor and G. Tagug.
The eastern border of the aquifer is El-Shikh Haroon plateau (basement rocks caped by The Nubian Sandstone rocks), but westward is bounded by G. Tagog and El Karorplateaux. The width of the aquifer is relatively small and varies from 1.5 km (at Blood Bank) to 1.67 km (at El-Aqad). It reached 4.52 km at the central part of the city and 1.13 km at the northern extreme (Atlas).
At the eastern plain (along El-Samad road): The quaternary aquifer in the eastern part of the study area studied by [
The thickness of the Quaternary aquifer vary from 100 m in the southern part to 137 m in the central part and it underlined by the Pliocene clay, as detected from the lithological log of deep well No. 27 (
Geological map of the study area
Lithological log of well No. 27
ern border of the quaternary water-bearing sediments represented by the basement rocks which caped with Nubian sandstone, while westward is bounded by high land of El-Shikh Haroon plateau. The width of the aquifer is small and ranges between 2.05 km northward and 1.37 km southward.
The natural recharge to the Quaternary aquifer is from the Aswan Dam Lake, which has water level ranges between 108 and 118 m asl, towards the urban areas of the city.
The aquifer discharged through the natural groundwater outflow to the Nile River, in the northern part of the city in addition to groundwater abstraction by pumping at Kima and El Shallal areas.
During this study, the data recorded from 1971 to 2014, from six wells at Kima area are evaluated to determine the general trend in groundwater levels and the change in the water-table over a 43-year period (
Groundwater rising and changes in GW level per year in the study area
. The hydrogeological data of drilled wells of the study area.
Date | Water depth | Water Level | Date | Water depth | Water Level | Date | Water depth | Water Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Well No. 1 | Well No. 26 | Well No. 13 (continue) | ||||||
1/6/2012 | 0.85 | 101.86 | 18/7/2010 | 7.26 | 113.74 | 20/10/2012 | 6.49 | 114.51 |
22/2/2014 | 0.36 | 102.35 | 15/1/2014 | 6.95 | 114.05 | 3/11/2012 | 6.42 | 114.58 |
Well No. 2 | Well No. 12 | 1/12/2012 | 6.37 | 114.63 | ||||
1/6/2012 | 5.21 | 104.74 | 17/10/1971 | 19.0 | 91.0 | 21/1/2013 | 6.42 | 114.58 |
22/2/2014 | 1.25 | 108.70 | 26/6/1975 | 18.75 | 91.25 | 16/2/2013 | 6.4 | 114.6 |
Well No. 3 | 16/1/1978 | 15.5 | 94.5 | 16/3/2013 | 6.36 | 114.64 | ||
1/6/2012 | 0.98 | 99.01 | 14/8/1979 | 15.9 | 94.1 | 13/4/2013 | 6.33 | 114.67 |
22/2/2014 | 0.4 | 99.59 | 5/1/1980 | 15.4 | 94.6 | 25/5/2013 | 6.31 | 114.69 |
Well No. 4 | 18/11/1981 | 16.1 | 93.9 | Well No. 14 | ||||
1/6/2012 | 0.35 | 91.82 | 2/1/1982 | 14.6 | 95.4 | 24/11/1981 | 26.0 | 93.0 |
22/2/2014 | 0.44 | 91.73 | 28/7/1984 | 16.3 | 93.7 | 3/1/1982 | 25.0 | 94.0 |
Well No. 5 | 2/4/1985 | 15.6 | 94.4 | 25/10/1983 | 26.0 | 93.0 | ||
1/6/2012 | 7.42 | 84.86 | 31/5/1986 | 16.3 | 93.7 | 2/7/1984 | 27.0 | 92.0 |
22/2/2014 | 8.23 | 84.05 | 1/10/1987 | 16.05 | 93.95 | 1/4/1985 | 24.57 | 94.43 |
Well No. 6 | 25/1/1988 | 15.47 | 94.53 | 29/9/1987 | 22.6 | 96.4 | ||
1/6/2012 | 2.53 | 98.44 | 18/1/1989 | 14.9 | 95.1 | 24/1/1988 | 22.0 | 97.0 |
22/2/2014 | 2.52 | 98.45 | 14/3/1990 | 14.7 | 95.3 | 8/2/1989 | 22.8 | 96.2 |
Well No. 7 | 21/9/1991 | 13.33 | 96.67 | 9/12/1989 | 23.2 | 95.8 | ||
1/6/2012 | 1.53 | 97.05 | 17/12/1992 | 11.94 | 98.06 | 12/2/1991 | 22.23 | 96.77 |
22/2/2014 | 0.8 | 97.78 | 16/5/1993 | 11.77 | 98.23 | 5/2/1992 | 21.35 | 97.65 |
Well No. 8 | 15/2/1999 | 11.8 | 98.2 | 18/12/1993 | 20.67 | 98.33 | ||
1/6/2012 | 8.76 | 95.56 | 6/2/2001 | 12.0 | 98.0 | 5/8/1996 | 21.65 | 97.35 |
22/2/2014 | closed | 104.32 | 8/3/2004 | 11.8 | 98.2 | 11/7/2001 | 22.0 | 97.0 |
Well No. 9 | 15/2/2010 | 8.0 | 102.0 | 19/5/2010 | 16.1 | 102.9 | ||
1/6/2012 | 9.1 | 90.03 | 19/5/2010 | 7.5 | 102.5 | 28/6/2010 | 15.98 | 103.02 |
22/2/2014 | 2.17 | 96.96 | 28/6/2010 | 7.4 | 102.6 | 5/7/2010 | 15.87 | 103.13 |
Well No. 10 | 8/1/2011 | 6.28 | 103.72 | 28/4/2011 | 13.68 | 105.32 | ||
1/6/2012 | 4.44 | 94.97 | 21/6/2011 | 6.45 | 103.55 | 15/9/2011 | 13.0 | 106.0 |
22/2/2014 | 1.0 | 98.41 | Well No. 13 | 3/1/2012 | 12.4 | 106.6 | ||
Well No. 11 | 6/6/1971 | 20.0 | 101.0 | 7/2/2012 | 12.9 | 106.1 | ||
1/6/2012 | 4.43 | 109.91 | 9/2/1985 | 16.27 | 104.73 | 25/8/2012 | 14.55 | 104.45 |
22/2/2014 | closed | 114.34 | 17/11/1986 | 17.02 | 103.98 | 20/10/2012 | 14.37 | 104.63 |
Well No. 20 | 24/9/1992 | 12.48 | 108.52 | 16/2/2013 | 13.93 | 105.07 | ||
18/7/2010 | 14.35 | 107.65 | 18/5/1993 | 12.25 | 108.75 | 13/4/2013 | 13.96 | 105.04 |
15/1/2014 | 13.3 | 108.7 | 28/8/1994 | 14.0 | 107.0 | 8/2/2014 | 10.87 | 108.13 |
Well No. 21 | 29/9/1998 | 13.75 | 107.25 | Well No. 15 | ||||
18/7/2010 | 13.74 | 108.26 | 4/4/1999 | 12.5 | 108.5 | 8/6/1972 | 27.5 | 89.5 |
15/1/2014 | 12.8 | 109.2 | 17/2/2000 | 12.0 | 109.0 | 18/11/1975 | 27.87 | 89.13 |
Well No. 22 | 8/4/2004 | 12.4 | 108.6 | 26/1/1976 | 28.0 | 89.0 | ||
18/7/2010 | 13.31 | 108.69 | 15/5/2010 | 8.4 | 112.6 | 28/3/1984 | 28.8 | 88.2 |
15/1/2014 | 12.3 | 109.7 | 28/6/2010 | 7.77 | 113.23 | 7/9/1984 | 29.0 | 88.0 |
Well No. 23 | 5/7/2010 | 7.77 | 113.23 | 2/7/1985 | 27.32 | 89.68 | ||
18/7/2010 | 14.68 | 107.32 | 6/7/2012 | 6.73 | 114.27 | 4/2/1985 | 27.4 | 89.6 |
15/1/2014 | 13.6 | 108.4 | 2/7/2012 | 6.68 | 114.32 | 18/7/1985 | 28.2 | 88.8 |
Well No. 24 | 28/7/2012 | 6.61 | 114.39 | 12/1/1990 | 28.77 | 88.23 | ||
18/7/2010 | 7.43 | 113.17 | 25/8/2012 | 6.58 | 114.42 | 16/10/1994 | 27.7 | 89.3 |
15/1/2014 | 6.95 | 114.05 | 29/9/2012 | 6.58 | 114.42 | 24/10/1994 | 27.5 | 89.5 |
Well No. 15 (continue) | Well No. 16 (continue) | 28/6/2010 | 16.7 | 100.3 | ||||
11/1/1994 | 28.19 | 88.81 | 7/4/1993 | 16.86 | 100.14 | Well No. 18 | ||
13/11/1994 | 28.29 | 88.71 | 13/7/1994 | 17.3 | 99.7 | 16/8/1988 | 36.15 | 88.85 |
19/12/2002 | 28.5 | 88.5 | 5/4/1995 | 16.8 | 100.2 | 30/1/1989 | 36.34 | 88.66 |
15/5/2003 | 28.4 | 88.6 | 7/11/1995 | 17.4 | 99.6 | 24/9/1990 | 36.87 | 88.13 |
15/5/2003 | 28.4 | 88.6 | 29/8/1996 | 17.59 | 99.41 | 4/3/1992 | 35.0 | 90.0 |
15/5/2003 | 28.4 | 88.6 | 22/1/2000 | 17.5 | 99.5 | 7/2/1999 | 35.8 | 89.2 |
25/8/2012 | 19.2 | 97.8 | 13/6/2004 | 17.75 | 99.25 | 9/5/2006 | 36.2 | 88.8 |
29/9/2012 | 19.01 | 97.99 | 16/5/2010 | 12.75 | 104.25 | 9/10/2007 | 35.4 | 89.6 |
20/10/2012 | 18.9 | 98.1 | 5/7/2010 | 12.2 | 104.8 | 31/5/2008 | 35.4 | 89.6 |
1/12/2013 | 18.73 | 98.27 | 8/2/2014 | 8.45 | 108.55 | 25/1/2009 | 30.5 | 94.5 |
3/16/2013 | 18.59 | 98.41 | Well No. 17 | 5/1/2010 | 30.85 | 94.15 | ||
16/3/2013 | 18.62 | 98.38 | 22/11/1990 | 23.75 | 93.25 | 19/5/2010 | 30.85 | 94.15 |
5/4/2013 | 18.65 | 98.35 | 2/1/1991 | 23.7 | 93.3 | 28/6/2010 | 30.5 | 94.5 |
2/8/2014 | 14.95 | 102.05 | 6/2/1991 | 23.65 | 93.35 | 5/7/2010 | 30.52 | 94.48 |
Well No. 16 | 11/5/1992 | 24.41 | 92.59 | 19/3/2012 | 26.5 | 98.5 | ||
5/1/1971 | 21.0 | 96.0 | 23/9/1996 | 22.3 | 94.7 | 8/2/2014 | 21.95 | 103.05 |
26/3/1977 | 20.3 | 96.7 | 4/11/1997 | 22.93 | 94.07 | Well No. 19 | ||
7/3/1983 | 20.9 | 96.1 | 21/2/1998 | 22.49 | 94.51 | 29/8/2008 | 3.71 | 92.29 |
4/8/1987 | 21.1 | 95.9 | 13/4/2006 | 22.4 | 94.6 | 15/8/2009 | 0.0 | 96.0 |
6/10/1992 | 17.12 | 99.88 | 19/4/2007 | 22.3 | 94.7 | 5/7/2010 | −2.0 | 98.0 |
13/10/1992 | 17.02 | 99.98 | 19/5/2010 | 17.3 | 99.7 | 5/12/2013 | −5.0 | 101.0 |
Groundwater level map in the study area (2014)
In order to assess the rate of groundwater rise, the present authors measured the hydrogeological data (depth to water, groundwater level, ground elevation, and total depth) from the drilled wells through many trips from 2010 up till now (
To achieve the causes of this problem in Aswan city, hydrogeological data were collected from 11 wells drilled along the study area for the period from 1971 to 2009 (
A total of 13 water samples were collected from some of affected areas and bore wells from various localities of the city and chemical and microbiological analyses carried out to assess the groundwater quality. They analyzed for different physio-chemical parameters (TDS, pH, E.C, TH), major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+), major anions
The present work studied the causes of the groundwater level rising, the environmental impact of the problem on the city and gave recommendations for solving it.
Groundwater level rise results provide a basis for the characterization of groundwater variation within the Quaternary aquifer in the studied area. It is possible to interpret different processes that may occur within the aquifer.
In this study, the data recorded between 1971 and 2014, from five wells at Kima area, are evaluated in order to determine the general trend in water levels and the change in the water-table over 43-year period (
Rising groundwater level creating ponds: (a) Kima pond, (b) El Shallal pond
Increase population and Urbanization activity at the study area
From the groundwater level contour map for the year 2014 (
• The general groundwater flow direction is generally from the south towards the north, i.e. toward the Nile River, Other direction of water flow comes from the highlands, which is characterized by high urbanization.
• The highest water level is recorded at El Shallal area, close to the area of recharge (Aswan Dam Lake), and the lowest water level is noticed at the northern part of the city, close to the area of discharge, the Nile river.
• The contour lines are more or less regular in the northern part of the city, while they are condensed in El Shallal, Kima and El Aqad areas where these areas are characterized by dense population and industrial activities.
(a) (b)
• Two water depressions are noticed in Kima and El Karor areas, these two areas are characterized by low ground elevations.
• Two water depressions are noticed in Kima and El Karor areas, these two areas are characterized by low ground elevations.
The authors measured the depth to groundwater in 26 piezometers, all over Aswan city, for the period from 2010 up to 2014 to assess the rate of the water rising in the city (
(a) (b)
(a) (b)
The table and figure show that the rise in groundwater level ranges between 8 cm/year (wells 25 & 26) and 27 cm/year (well 23) at El Shallal area, and it ranges between 0.60 cm/year (well 12) and 2.14 m/year (well 18) at Kima area, while it reached 3.46 m/year (well 4) in the western plain and 0.01 cm/year (well 1) at the northern side of the city (
In 2009, 40 productive wells at El Shallal area were turned off, as a result of deteriorated water quality, they were pumped an amount of 12.44 × 106 m3/year. Moreover, groundwater withdrawals from KIMA factory wells were reduced from 13.23 × 106 m3/year to 9.12 × 106 m3/year. The former discussion proves that the phenomena of groundwater rising that happened in 2009 at Aswan city, can be directly refereed to the cessation of groundwater pumping from El-Shallal wells, and to reduction of pumping from KIMA factory wells.
The problem of increasing the groundwater level and flooding over the ground surface is observed in many
. Chemical analysis of the surface and groundwater samples in the study area.
Sample No. | Physio-chemical parameters | Major Cations (ppm) | Major Anions (ppm) | Trace ions (ppm) | e% | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
pH | EC µmho/cm | TDS (ppm) | TH (ppm) | Ca | Mg | Na | K | HCO3 | SO4 | Cl | (PO4) | NO2 | NO3 | Fe | Mn | ||
well 1 | 7.65 | 540 | 454 | 231.9 | 50 | 26 | 16 | 7.4 | 275 | 22.8 | 15.2 | 0.11 | 0.1 | 3.52 | 0.016 | 0.005 | 0.93 |
well 2 | 7.86 | 5250 | 3383 | 993.8 | 277 | 73.4 | 700 | 14.5 | 908 | 550 | 860 | 0.13 | 0.15 | 3.74 | 0.011 | 0.006 | 0.07 |
well 3 | 7.9 | 8800 | 5632 | 1482 | 424 | 103 | 1320 | 50 | 360 | 1650 | 1700 | 0.15 | 0.14 | 0.19 | 0.012 | 0.004 | 0.05 |
well 4 | 8.4 | 6510 | 4166 | 1198 | 320 | 97 | 925 | 20 | 340 | 1382 | 1068 | 0.19 | 1.12 | 86.4 | 0.151 | 0.053 | 0.15 |
well 5 | 7.45 | 4760 | 3046 | 900.2 | 250 | 67 | 650 | 14.3 | 320 | 1042 | 690 | 0.17 | 0.13 | 0.16 | 0.017 | 0.006 | 0.21 |
well 6 | 7.84 | 4360 | 2812 | 833.3 | 248 | 52 | 620 | 14.8 | 321 | 900 | 657 | 0.177 | 0.16 | 14.3 | 0.537 | 0.036 | 1.66 |
well 7 | 8.36 | 1170 | 748 | 270.1 | 62 | 28 | 120 | 7.4 | 200 | 128 | 160 | 0.21 | 0.13 | 0.19 | 0.173 | 0.044 | 1.58 |
well 9 | 7.6 | 2530 | 1619 | 442.3 | 98 | 48 | 340 | 19 | 395 | 332 | 375 | 0.19 | 0.17 | 0.18 | 0.113 | 1.038 | 0.29 |
well 10 | 7.63 | 3940 | 2568 | 522.6 | 145 | 39 | 640 | 26 | 380 | 685 | 653 | 0.18 | 0.17 | 0.14 | 0.02 | 0.006 | 0.03 |
well 11 | 7.39 | 1250 | 845 | 338.8 | 78 | 35 | 135 | 7.4 | 265 | 155 | 170 | 0.2 | 0.18 | 8.7 | 0.02 | 0.004 | 1.80 |
Phatemic graves | 7.85 | 9150 | 5856 | 3146 | 530 | 443 | 603 | 42.3 | 1827 | 1181 | 1255 | 3.49 | 0.08 | 2.12 | 0.085 | 0.09 | 0.13 |
Khor Awada | 8.09 | 4420 | 2828 | 763 | 106 | 121 | 636.4 | 37.3 | 792 | 538 | 597.5 | 0.81 | 0.37 | 15.8 | 0.18 | 0.21 | 3.33 |
Aqad | 8.03 | 3810 | 2418 | 659 | 114 | 91 | 530.8 | 35.8 | 628 | 456 | 562 | 0.72 | 0.48 | 14.1 | 0.11 | 0.25 | 2.09 |
lowlands along the study area as El-Seil, Khor Awada, Birket El-Damas, Phatemic graves, El-Sadat road, El-Aqad, Aswan stadium, Blood Bank, Military building, Kima, El Shallal (
The principal cause is the great variation of the difference between the recharge and discharge to and from the main aquifer under Aswan city area, where a big and continues recharge amount of water regardless to a small discharge amount of water by time lead to increasing the water level and appear in low elevated lands in the study area causing a concern problem. The groundwater recharge from potable and different supplies may exceed both the natural rate of recharge from Aswan Dam Lake and the natural rate of groundwater discharge. So that, less discharge of groundwater indirectly leads to increase the water level.
The hydrogeological parameters of the Quaternary aquifer, in Aswan area, play significant role in the calculations of groundwater rise. The pumping tests analyses reveal that the Quaternary aquifer at Aswan area has high hydraulic conductivity (ranges between 0.0001 and 0.0004 m/s), and high transmissivity values (0.02 to 0.04 m2/s), [
In 2009, 40 productive wells at El Shallal area were turned off, as a result of deteriorated water quality, they were pumped an amount of 12.44 × 106 m3/year. Moreover, groundwater withdrawals from KIMA factory wells were reduced from 13.23 × 106 m3/year to 9.12 × 106 m3/year. This proves that the phenomena of groundwater rising that happened in 2009 at Aswan city, can be directly refereed to the cessation of groundwater pumping from El-Shallal wells, and to reduction of pumping from KIMA factory wells.
Urbanization has a great effect on the groundwater regime especially to subsurface components of infiltration
and percolation leading to groundwater recharge. In any urbanization, sanitation and drainage arrangements are of fundamental importance. Quantifying groundwater recharge in urban areas is especially challenging because the urban environment is quite complex as a large variety of land uses coexist and overlap and because of the heterogeneity of the shallow underground.
Aswan city expanded both vertically and horizontally due to unprecedented rapid economic growth after 1970 (
When sewer lines are located below the water table, they may infiltrate groundwater, and when located above the water table they may leak. Therefore, the seepage from sewage network system itself conceder another problem. Recently in Aswan city area a phenomena of rash of sewage network system on streets (above ground surface) for many times leads to raise the water level and become as other recharge source (
Septic tanks, in the parts that are not served by a sewage network system, lead to infiltration of a considerable amount of water to the aquifer and increase the water level. In many parts of the study area, seepage water from water supply networks, even if small amount, give another reason of water rising and flow water to accumulate and appear in low lands.
The magnitude of anthropic impacts upon their environment makes humans the major geologic agent on the surface of the planet [
In many areas of Aswan city, the continuous increase in the groundwater rising leads to creation of new ponds e.g. Kma, El Shallal, and pond 3 (
A total of 13 water samples were collected from some of affected areas and bore wells from various localities of the city and chemical analyses carried out to assess the groundwater quality.
They analyzed for different physio-chemical parameters (TDS, pH, E.C, TH), major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+), major anions
In the study area, the average value of TDS is 2798.1 mg/l (
The salt crystals combinations are calculated for both the surface and groundwater samples along the study area. They revealed the presence of different groups of salt assemblages (
Some of the collected water samples were subjected to microbiological measurements for the total bacteria and total Coliform in the study area (
Once a building has been exposed to a large volume of water, may species of micro-organism and algae can growth (
In many locations of the study area, water level rising leads to inundation of the basement of many buildings (
. The analytical of total bacteria and total Coliform in some water samples.
Sample No. | Total Coliform (colony/100 ml) | Total Bacteria (colony/100 ml) | Sample No. | Total Coliform (colony/100 ml) | Total Bacteria (colony/100 ml) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
well 2 | 0 | 20 | well 10 | 470 | 1000 |
well 4 | 0 | 20 | well 11 | 20 | 40 |
well 5 | 10 | 50 | Aqad | 273 | 400 |
well 6 | 250 | 450 | Phatemic graves | Too Numerous to count | Too Numerous to count |
well 7 | 0 | 500 | KhorAwada | Too Numerous to count | Too Numerous to count |
tal impact on building, where it causes direct damage to building.
Underground infrastructures that lie beneath many parts in Aswan City, as Communication networks, wastewater sewers system, pipes of drinking water distribution networks, high voltage electrical cables, and others, are flooded by rising groundwater level.
Aswan city expanded both vertically and horizontally due to unprecedented rapid economic growth after the year of 1970. Unfortunately, neither geological nor hydrological features are taken into consideration in such developments. As a result of leakages or infiltrations from different sources, the natural groundwater balance is overturned into an unbalance where the input to water table is comparatively much more than the natural groundwater flow.
In this study, the data recorded between 1971 and 2014, are examined in order to determine the general trend in water levels and the change in the water-table over 43-year period. It shows a noticeable variation in the groundwater level during this period, and the water table rising ranges between 12.55 and 13.69 m, which means that there is about 1.37 m groundwater table rise in each year. Recently, an abrupt increase in the water levels is noticed and reached its peak in 2010 continuing up till now. This study proves that the phenomena of groundwater rising can be directly refereed to the cessation of groundwater pumping from El-Shallal wells, and to the reduction of pumping from KIMA factory wells. During these last five years, all the low-lying areas of Aswan city are suffering from groundwater rising. The continuous increase of groundwater level can lead to appearance of new affected areas in other parts at Aswan city.
The environmental impact of the water rising includes: forming ponds in low lying areas (Kima and El Shallal ponds), flooding building’s basements, and inundating underground infrastructure. A general deterioration in groundwater quality was identified. Much higher sulphate and alkali and alkaline earth metal concentrations were found in many spots of the study area and it is most severe where population concentrates. Furthermore, the bacteriological investigations show that the total Bacteria vary from 20 to 1000 no. of colony/100 ml and the total Coliform range between 0 and 470 no. of colony/100 ml indicating that local sources are strongly influencing the observed bacteriological data. In some locations (Phatemic graves and KhorAwada), the total bacteria and total Coliform are too numerous to count.
The necessary recommendations to decrease and/or prevent water rising problem at Aswan City include re-ex- ploitation of groundwater from El Shallal and Kimawells. Leakages from the networks must be controlled and necessary maintenances are obtained. In the future continuous monitoring of the water level in all the available drilled wells should be taken into consideration where, the continuous increase of groundwater level can lead to appearance of new affected areas in other parts at Aswan city. Moreover, all urbanization activities in the high elevated lands should be under control to decrease water seepage and/or flow to the low elevated lands.