GEOCIENCIAS-VOL 14-1 2010.vp EARTH SCIENCES RESEARCH JOURNAL Earth Sci. Res. J. Vol. 14, No. 1 (June 2010): 63-75 GROUNDWATER INVESTIGATION IN AWLAD SALAMEH, SOUTHERN SOHAG, UPPER EGYPT Aiman Abdel Latif1 and Mohamed El Kashouty2 1 National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, Helwan 2 Cairo university, Faculty of Science, Geology Department aiman_aziz21@yahoo.com ABSTRACT The groundwater was the only water resources in the reclaiming area in Awlad Salameh village in the western side of Nile valley in Sohag governorate, Egypt. The soil was salinized and decrease the income per capita due to the increase in water salinity. Fifty groundwater samples was analyzed for major ions, besides the hydrogeological data. The groundwater salinity increased in the northwestern, northern, and northeastern part, attributed to geological, hydrogeological, and anthropogenic sources. The struc- tural pattern enhances the downward, lateral and upward intrusion of saline Eocene limestone and Nubian sandstone aquifers. The salinity decreased in areas of wadis deposits, which characterized by high infiltration of rainfall through gravelly and cobbly sediments. The K concentration is mainly caused by aquitard diffusion rather than anthropogenic. The saturation index approach and statistical analyses were determined and discussed with respect to the geomedia and anthropogenic source. The groundwater is unsuitable for drinking and irrigation purposes due to increase in total dissolved solids. Key words: Awlad Salameh, groundwater, soil salinization, hydrogeochemical processes RESUMEN El agua subterránea es el único recurso de este tipo en el área de recuperación en el pueblo Awlad Salameh ubicado en el lado occidental del río Nilo en la provincia de Sohag, en Egipto. El suelo esta salinizado y disminuyó el ingreso per cápita debido al aumento de la salinidad del agua. Cincuenta muestras de aguas subterráneas fueron analizadas en busca de iones importantes, además de otros datos hidrogeológicos. La salinidad del agua subterránea aumentó en el noroeste, norte y noreste, debido a factores geológicos, hidrogeológicos y de fuentes antropogénicas. El patrón estructural realiza la intrusión hacia abajo, lateral y hacia arriba de la caliza salina del Eoceno y del acuífero de la arenisca de Nubia. La salinidad disminuyó en las zonas del depósito, que se caracterizan por la filtración de las precipitaciones a través de la grava y los sedimentos gruesos (adoquín). La concentración K es causada principalmente por difusión lenta en lugar de antropogénica. El índice de saturación y el análisis estadístico fueron determinados y discutidos con respecto a la Media y a la fuente antropogénica. El agua subterránea no es apta para beber ni para riego, debido al aumento del total de sólidos disueltos. Palabras clave: Awlad Salameh, aguas subterráneas, salinización del suelo, procesos hidrogeoquímicos 63 Manuscript received: 22/12/2009 Accepted for publication: 16/05/2010 1. Introduction Sohag governorate constitutes an important hydrographic part in the Nile valley in Upper Egypt. Sohag governorate lies in the middle part of the Nile Valley which situated south of Cairo by about 460 km and has a total area of 11022 km2. Groundwater constitutes an important source of water in the strip of the desert fringes on both sides of the Nile Val- ley which has been partially reclaimed. Because of the de- velopment, the government and the people have been focused on the new areas in the western part of the cultivated land boundary (investigated area). The studied area occupies a region including both the floodplain and the desert fringes between longitudes 31o 30` and 31 o 45`E and latitudes 26 o 15` and 26 o 30`N (Fig. 1A). The Nile valley, in Sohag area, is bounded from east and west by the Eocene Limestone pla- teau. These plateaus are dissected by a number of drainage basins that drains towards the valley from the east and the west. The surface areas of these basins are around 740 km2. The strip of the desert fringes on both sides of the Nile Val- ley has been partially reclaimed and irrigated completely with groundwater. In the last ten years, rapid increase in the use of groundwater in the desert areas has occurred and that can affect the sustainability of the supply both quantitatively and qualitatively. Recent activities of the land reclamation are carried out in the area covering about 295 km2 where 182 Km2 could be reclaimed. The remaining area of about 263 km2 is not reclaimed yet. Sohag was represented by 5 % of Egypt (GASG 2004), the developments were relamation pro- jects, new urban communities, industraial areas, and wastewater dis[osal sites in the desert zones of the Nile Val- ley. Untreated wastewaters dumped by industrial facuility impact the environmental helth (El Gohary et al 2002). Many problems in the production of crops and death of plants in the reclaiming area was found in Awlad Salameh, resulted from irrigation by saline groundwater. Groundwa- ter contamination is one of the principal environmental and public health problems in Sohag governorate. It is attributed to intensive use of agro-chemical fertilizers, septic tanks, and pesticides and wastewater disposal (Ayman 2009). Then, the main objective is to study the hydrogeochemical and hydrogeological characteristics of the shallow Quater- nary aquifer. Fifty water samples were collected from the shallow (10-50 m water depth) Quaternary aquifer. 2. Geology and hydrogeology The geology of the study area is very important especially in the hydrochemistry of groundwater, it is lightly influenced by the type of rocks, surficial soils, and structures in the area. The study area was in the unstable shelf of Egypt (Meshref 1990). The structural features developed in the Nile Valley are Pre-Paleozoic or older basement trends and rejuvenated later on during Tertiary times (Sigaev, 1959; Said, 1961 and 1962; Brioussov, 1968; Yossef, 1968; Youssef et al. 1978). The Eocene plateau in Nile valley is effected by normal faults and drag folds (Yallouze and Knetsch, 1954; Abdel Kareem, 1972; Omara et al. 1970 and 1973; Mustafa, 1979; Mahranand El Haddad, 1992). They stated that the structural features are originally induced from tensional rather than compressional forces. Structurally, the River Nile is drained in central part and bounded by two limestone plateaus on both sides. The River Nile is occupied on both sides by low lying areas (floodplain), represented by graben that created by upthrow of two plateaus. The latter gently dips about 3o due the central low part (Zaki 2001) and about 54 recorded surface fault planes. The fault and interconnected of them influence greatly on the rate of precipitation-infiltration into the aquifer sys- tem and the enhance the upward leakage from the underly- ing aquifers (saline) toward the Pleistocene aquifer. Generally, the geology of Sohag area can be outlined as fol- lows: 1) Thebes Formation (Eocene); it was first introduced by Said (1960) for the lower Eocene limestone of the Nile Valley. He described the Thebes Formation as massive to laminated limestone with flint bands or nodules and marl rich with Nummulites and planktonic foraminifera. Amer et al. (1970) and Said (1971), subdivided the Eocene rocks exposed between Luxor and Assiut into two formations, namely the Thebes Formation at the base and the Manfalut Formation at the top. The Thebes Forma- tion includes the massive to laminated limestone with flint bands and concretions. The exposed part of the formation decreases gradually toward the north due to the regional gentle sloping northward. 2) Muneiha Formation (Pliocene); Issawi et al. (1978) mentioned that Muneiha Formation includes the estuarine fine clastic sediments accumulated due to the invasion of the Mediterranean Sea which create a long gulf from Cairo to Aswan in Pliocene time, these sediments are equivalent to the Madmoud For- mation (Said 1981). Omer 1996 divided this forma- tion into two main divisions (lower and upper members) according to the facies and the depositional environment. 64 AIMAN ABDEL LATIF AND MOHAMED EL KASHOUTY GROUNDWATER INVESTIGATION IN AWLAD SALAMEH, SOUTHERN SOHAG, UPPER EGYPT 65 43 Well loction Legend: Scale: 26° 22’ 15.57” 31° 40’ 55.9” 26° 25’ 0.8” 31° 45’ 27.19” 31° 43’ 13.7” Egypt A A` a) 100 m. 60 20 -20 -30 V er tic al S ca le : Gravel Fine sand Medium sand Coarse sand Clay NorthWest A 21 24 26 49 SouthEst A Legend Horizontal scale 2.5 0 2.5 km b) Figure 1. Location map of the Awlad Salameh (A), geological cross section NW-ES (B), and General hydrogeologic section of the Sohag area (RIGW 1990) (C). 3) Issawia Formation (Pliocene/Pleistocene); Said (1981 and 1990) mentioned that, by the end of the Pliocene and beginning of the Pleistocene, arid climatic condi- tions prevailed over Egypt causing the cessation of the riverine activities. This left local depressions, which received water only during seasonal rainy storms; lac- ustrine sediments were accordingly accumulated within these depressions. These lacustrine sediments were treated as the Issawia Formation (Issawi, et al. 1978 and Omer, 1996). Sediments of the Issawia For- mation include two interfingered facies: the carbonate facies and clastic facies. 4) The Pleistocene sands; they consist of a thick suc- cession of the Pleistocene sand-gravel association, which is widely distributed along the Nile valley in both the surface and subsurface. These sediments have been studied by many authors (e.g. Wendorf and Said, 1967, Said, 1975, 1981; Paulissen and Vermeersch, 1987; Issawi and McCauley, 1992; Omer, 1996; Omer and Issawi, 1998). 5) Dandara Formation; During the Late Middle Pleis- tocene, the Ethiopian water coupled with the dry phase in Egypt resulted into an exotic suspended-load river depending mostly on the sea- sonal rainfall in Ethiopia (Said 1975, Omer, 1996, Omer and Issawi, 1998). Sediments accumulated during this stage (Dandara Formation) were thus en- tirely derived from the upper reaches of the Nile in Ethiopia and southern Sudan. These sediments are formed mainly of fluviatile fine sand-silt intercala- tion and accumulated at low-energy environment. 6) Recent Wadi Deposits; Generally, the intermittent activities of the transverse channels led to the accu- mulation of flashflood deposits covering the sur- face of the older sediments throughout the desert areas outside the cultivated land. These deposits vary greatly in both the thickness and tex- ture depending upon the land morphology and the inten- sity and regime of the flashflood rainfall. They range in thickness from few centimeters to more than 30 meters. They are formed of the disintegrated product of the nearby Eocene carbonates, in addition to the reworked material from the pre-existing sediments. The aquifer is 66 AIMAN ABDEL LATIF AND MOHAMED EL KASHOUTY 240 220 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 -20 -40 -60 -80 -100 -120 -140 -160 E le va ti o n (m as l) c) R iv er N ile South west North east 400 380 360 340 320 300 280 260 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 -20 -40 -60 -80 -100 -120 -140 -160 Gravel, sand and clay (young and old Nile and wadi deposits) Semi-confined silty-clay layer (Holocene) Shale (Paleocene) Sand and clay intercalations with gravel at fringes (Plio-Pleistocene) Nubian sandstone (Cretaccous and Pre-Cretaccous) Graded sand and gravel intercalated with clayey lenses (Pleistocene) Shale and carbonates (Late Cretaccous) Clay (Pliocene) Limestone (Eocene) 0 1 2 3 4 5 10 km Continued Figure 1. semi confined around the River Nile, shifted to uncon- fined away from the floodplain (Fig. 1B). The investigated aquifer is the Pleistocene that overlies the fissured Eocene limestone, the Holocene silt and clay act as capping bed (Fig. 1C). The Pleistocene aquifer thickness is 260 m around the River Nile and vanished due the two plateaus. The aquifer mainly was recharged from the irrigation and draining canals and the rainfall. Groundwater flow generally at Sohag Governorate is to- wards the River Nile. The highest contour lines are at the valley fringes 65 m (masl) and lowest contour are close to the River Nile 53 m (masl). The groundwater is recharg- ing the River Nile which acting as a natural drain (Ahmed 2007a). The horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductiv- ity of the capping sediments are 0.06 and 0.0086 m/d, the specific storage coefficient is 7.6 *10-6 (Abdel Moneim 1999). The Pleistocene aquifer horizontal hydraulic con- ductivity ranged from 40-100 m/d (Zaki 2001). 3. Materials and Methods A total of 50 boreholes was collected from the Pleistocene aquifer and one sample from River Nile in Awlad Salameh village in Sohag Governorate. They were analyzed in the Centre of Reclaiming New Land in Ministry of Agriculture at January 2009. The location site is determined by GPS in- strument. pH, EC, and temperature are measured in situ us- ing portable field kite. Cl, HCO3, Ca, and Mg were measured by titration, while SO4 is estimated by turbidity method, and Na and K were analyzed by flame photometer 4. Results and discussions 4.1 Water chemistry The TDS concentration increased due the northwestern, northern, and northeastern part (Fig. 2a), attributed to high numbers of fault planes interconnected together to build a GROUNDWATER INVESTIGATION IN AWLAD SALAMEH, SOUTHERN SOHAG, UPPER EGYPT 67 31.695 31.7 31.705 31.71 31.715 31.72 31.725 31.73 31.735 31.74 31.745 31.75 26.4 e- Ca, ppm C.I. 25 ppm f- Cl, ppm C.I. 150 ppm 100 250 400 550 700 850 1000 1150 1300 1450 1600 1750 1900 26.37 26.38 26.39 26.41 26.37 26.38 26.39 26.4 26.41 31.695 31.7 31.705 31.71 31.715 31.72 31.725 31.73 31.735 31.74 31.745 31.75 26.37 26.38 26.39 26.4 26.41 a- TDS, ppm C.I. 250 ppm b- Na, ppm C.I. 100 ppm 31.695 31.7 31.705 31.71 31.715 31.72 31.725 31.73 31.735 31.74 31.745 31.75 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 26.38 26.39 26.4 26.41 26.37 C ultivated land Aw la d S al am ah C ultivated land Aw la d S al am ah Aw la d S al am ah C ultivated land C ultivated land Aw la d S al am ah 31.695 31.7 31.705 31.71 31.715 31.72 31.725 31.73 31.735 31.74 31.745 31.75 good conduits. These conduits facilitate the upward and downward leakage from the lower brackish (TDS 1000-5000 ppm) to saline ( TDS > 5000 ppm) aquifers and agricultural and sanitary wastewaters, respectively. The saline aquifers are Eocene limestone and Nubian sandstone, they non renew- able and influenced by lithogenic. The Pleistocene aquifer is influenced by agricultural ac- tivities in old cultivated area and reclaimed lands and devel- opment projects in the desert zone (El Kola wastewater disposal in the eastern part and El Dair wastewater disposal site in the western part, Ayman 2009). The irrigation water is applied in flooding, which was at frequebcy of two and three times a month (Abdel Moneim 1992; Shamrukh et al. 2001). The pesticides detection in the Cow’s milk confirm the agri- cultural impact (Dawood et al 2004). The aquifer thickness increased due the northwestern part of the study area (Zaki 2001) to be increased the capacity of the received water from different sources through these fault planes. The TDS con- centration decline in the southeastern, southwestern, and central-western part, caused by the presence of wadis depos- its, which composed mainly of very gravelly and even cobbly (Fig. 1B) (Zaki 2001). These wadis deposits drain in the Pleistocene aquifer and is characterized by high precipitation and infiltration rate (Zaki 2001). The wadi El Rashaydah drainage basin is the main wadi passing in the areas of low salinity. The basin length, streams orders numbers and lengths are 526, 2163, and 1132.94 km, respectively (Zaki 2001). These data indicate elongation of the basin, which facili- tate the passage of runoff and infiltrate downward to dilute the groundwater system. The drainage frequency is high and re- flect a good collection of runoff (Zaki 2001). The thickness of 68 AIMAN ABDEL LATIF AND MOHAMED EL KASHOUTY 31.695 31.7 31.705 31.71 31.715 31.72 31.725 31.73 31.735 31.74 31.745 31.75 26.37 26.38 26.39 26.4 Borehole location g- SO4, ppm C.I. 150 ppm 100 300 500 700 900 1100 1300 1500 1700 1900 2100 2300 26.41 31.695 31.7 31.705 31.71 31.715 31.72 31.725 31.73 31.735 31.74 31.745 31.75 26.37 26.38 26.39 26.4 26.41 C- K, ppm C.I. 2 ppm 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 2 km0 C ultivated land Aw la d S al am ah C ultivated land Aw la d S al am ah 31.695 31.7 31.705 31.71 31.715 31.72 31.725 31.73 31.735 31.74 31.745 31.75 26.4 h- HCO3, ppm C.I. 15 ppm 120 145 170 195 220 245 270 295 320 345 26.37 26.38 26.39 26.41 Aw la d S al am ah C ultivated land 31.695 31.7 31.705 31.71 31.715 31.72 31.725 31.73 31.735 31.74 31.745 31.75 26.37 26.38 26.39 26.4 26.41 d- Mg, ppm C.I. 25 ppm 10 35 60 85 110 135 160 185 210 235 260C ultivated land Aw la d S al am ah Figure 2. The distribution of the major ions in groundwater in Awlad Salameh, Sohag. the aquifer increased in the low saline groundwater areas mentioned previously. It can dilute the groundwater through the rainfall infiltration into the low water saline areas. Na con- centration resemble the TDS trend (Fig. 2b). The K concen- tration anomaly shifted from the TDS trend to be in the central-western part (Fig. 2c), because of aquitard diffusion intercalated and tapped the aquifer. The Mg, Ca, Cl, and SO4 concentrations are similar to the TDS trend (Fig. 2d, e, f, and g). The Ca and SO4 concentrations are mainly attributed to the agricultural wastewater especially fertilizers. The HCO3 con- centration increased in the low saline groundwater areas (Fig. 2h), confirm the dilution from the surface meteoric water (rainfall) into the aquifer system. The pH values is very lim- ited (8.1 -8.5) by the continuous leakage from the rainfall. 4.2 Saturation index approach The calcite and dolomite are super saturated in groundwater (Fig. 3a & b), they increase in saturation in the northeast and northwest directions. The southwestern, southeastern, and central map parts are the lowest saturation indices with re- spect to calcite and dolomite. Only the southwestern part match with low TDS concentration, while the southeastern and central map parts coincide with high TDS concentration. It reflect the Ca and Mg concentrations partially contributed by anthropogenic and lithogenic sources. The groundwater is under saturated with respect to gypsum and anhydrite (Fig. 3c & d), they decrease in saturation due the southwest- ern part, by dilution from the rainfall infiltrated through the wadis deposits. 4.3 Statistical analyses TDS is strongly correlated with Na, Mg, Ca, Cl, and SO4, re- flect the dissolution of limestone, evaporation, and anthropogenic source (agricultural wastewater). The K con- centration is not included in the groundwater salinity corre- lation, indicate that it is contributed by the aquitard diffusion GROUNDWATER INVESTIGATION IN AWLAD SALAMEH, SOUTHERN SOHAG, UPPER EGYPT 69 31.695 31.7 31.705 31.71 31.715 31.72 31.725 31.73 31.735 31.74 31.745 31.75 26.37 26.38 26.39 26.4 26.41 31.695 31.7 31.705 31.71 31.715 31.72 31.725 31.73 31.735 31.74 31.745 31.75 26.37 26.38 26.39 26.4 26.41 31.695 31.7 31.705 31.71 31.715 31.72 31.725 31.73 31.735 31.74 31.745 31.75 26.37 26.38 26.39 26.4 26.41 31.695 31.7 31.705 31.71 31.715 31.72 31.725 31.73 31.735 31.74 31.745 31.75 26.37 26.38 26.39 26.4 26.41 Borehole location a- Calcite b- Dolomite c- Gypsum d- Anhydrite 2 km0 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45 0.5 0.55 0.6 0.65 0.7 0.75 0.8 0.85 0.9 0.95 1 -2.6 -2.4 -2.2 -2 -1.8 -1.6 -1.4 -1.2 -1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -2.8 -2.6 -2.4 -2.2 -2 -1.8 -1.6 -1.4 -1.2 -1 -0.8 -0.6 C ultivated land Awlad Salamah C ultivated land Awlad Salamah C ultivated land Awlad Salamah C ultivated land Awlad Salamah Figure 3. Saturation indices of selected minerals of the groundwater system in Awlad Salameh, Sohag 70 AIMAN ABDEL LATIF AND MOHAMED EL KASHOUTY Dendrogram using Average Linkage (Between Groups) Rescaled Distance Cluster Combine Case 0 5 10 15 20 25 Label Num +– – – –– – – – –+– – – –– – – – –+– – – –– – – – –+– – – –– – – – –+– – – –– – – – –+ Case 21 21 -+ Case 47 47 -+ Case 16 16 -+ Case 31 31 -+ Case 8 8 -+-+ Case 37 37 -+ I Case 15 15 -+ I Case 18 18 -+ I Case 30 30 -+ I Case 2 2 -+ I Case 34 34 -+ I Case 38 38 -+ I A Case 19 19 -+ I Case 41 41 -+-+ Case 10 10 -+ I Case 4 4 -+ I Case 5 5 -+ +-+ Case 29 29 -+ I I Case 39 39 -+ I I Case 45 45 -+ I I Case 49 49 -+ I I Case 3 3 -+ I I Case 7 7 -+ I I Case 6 6 -+ I +-+ Case 22 22 -+-+ I I Case 48 48 -+ I I Case 26 26 -+ I I Case 24 24 -+ I I Cluster I Case 23 23 -+ I +----+ Case 12 12 -+ I I I ICCase 33 33 ------+ I I Case 1 1 -+---+ I I Case 42 42 -+ I I I Case 28 28 -+ +-+ I B Case 40 40 -+-+ I I Cluster II Case 27 27 -+ +-+ +-------------+ Case 11 11 ---+ I I Case 44 44 -+ I I Case 46 46 -+-+ I I Case 43 43 -+ I I I Case 9 9 -+ +-----+ I I Independent cases Case 50 50 -+-+ I I +----------------------------------+ Case 35 35 -+ I I I I I Case 13 13 -+ I +----+ I I Case 14 14 -+ I I I I Case 32 32 -+-+ I I I Case 20 20 -+ I I I ICCase 36 36 ----------+ I I ICCase 25 25 -------------------------+ I ICCase 17 17 -------------------------------------------------------------+ Figure 4. Dendrogram analysis of the groundwater system in Awlad Salameh, Sohag Table 1. Average concentrations of the clusters identified by HCA Cluster Sub cluster Number of samples pH E.C. µS/cm TDS ppm Na ppm K ppm I A 31 8.27 3891.5 2487.3 671.58 2.5806 B 6 8.27 1058.3 677.33 172.73 3.519 II 10 8.24 6607 4228.9 1107.3 3.9491 I.C.37 1 8.1 9140 5849.6 1502.1 3.128 I.C.26 1 8.3 4420 2828.8 634.98 23.46 I.C.18 1 8.1 11730 7507.2 1535.9 5.083 Mg Ca Cl SO4 HCO3 ppm ppm ppm ppm ppm 61.5 91.7 642 776.10 278.4 18.7 28.7 124.44 124.71 272.5 112.2 171.6 1147.7 1475.6 156.2 163.7 250.5 1630.8 2035.9 183 78.9 120.6 765.43 960.56 158.62 317. 6 485.6 2127.2 2636.3 146.4 IC independent case from the Pliocene clay and the clay interbedded with sand and gravel of Pleistocene aquifer (Moukana and Koike 2008). Ca is strongly correlated with Mg reflect a common mineralogic sources, may be weathering of amounts of cal- cite and dolomite (Stauffer and Wittchen 1991). The princi- ple component analysis (PCA) Shine et al., 1995; Ruiz, 2001; Lui et al., 2003 and Zhou et al., 2004) have been using SPSS program (Statistical Program of Social Science) under windows version 12.0 (statistical program) in order to study the interrelationship among the chemical elements in the groundwater. Two factors were identified, factor 1 posi- tively loaded with TDS, Na, Mg, Ca, Cl, SO4, and more or less HCO3. It reflect the groundwater system was contributed by evaporation, recharge, anthropogenic, and dissolution of geomedoia. The 2nd factor loaded with pH and K, clarify the aquitard diffusion that depend upon the pH condition. The dendrogram investigation revealed two clusters and three in- dependent cases (Fig. 4), based on hydrogeochemistry of the groundwater. Cluster I was subdivided into two sub cluster A and B. Sub cluster A include 31 samples and has average concentrations as shown in Table 1. It is distributed allover the study area, caused by lithogenic and anthropogenic sources and also recharge from freshwater. It contained the different groundwater salinity (moderate and high). Sub cluster B was represented by 6 samples, it is distributed due the central northwestern part. It is characterized by the low- est TDS concentration, because of dilution from the infil- trated rainfall through wadis. Cluster II contain 10 samples, it is distributed in the northwestern and southeastern part. It is distinguished by higher salinity than the previous cluster, attributed to closer to the upward and lateral leakage of sa- line water from the Eocene limestone aquifer, therefore the groundwater salinity increased. The independent cases no. 18, 26, and 37 are located separately and have highest TDS , K, and Mg concentrations, respectively. 4.4 NetPath and AquaChem application In Netpath program, mixing of two or more initial waters is modeled to show hydrogeochemical processes taking place due to mixing and migration of waters from two or more sources of recharging groundwater aquifer. The prevailing minerals in the formations, through which the migrating wa- ter passes and interacts, were used in the model. The initial waters are different, water from River Nile, canals, runoff, and limestone aquifer. Ground-and surface-water chemistry cannot be dealt with separately where surface and subsurface flow systems interact. The movement of water between two solutions provides major pathways for chemi- cal transfer between terrestrial and aquatic systems. The limestone aquifer recharge rate increased in the northwest- ern, eastern, and northeastern part (Fig. 5a). The contribu- tion by fresh water (River Nile, canals, and runoff) was increased in the southeastern and central-western part (Fig. 5b). 4.5 Water purposes. The quality of groundwater is a function of physical, chemi- cal, and biological parameters, so the standards should follow (WHO 1984, 1993, and 1997). Besides the anthropogenic sources, the geology also imposes its chemistry on the groundwater system. Drinking water standards are generally based upon two main criterion 1) objectionable taste, odor, and color; 2) presence of substances with adverse physiolog- ical (health) effects. The suitability of groundwater for GROUNDWATER INVESTIGATION IN AWLAD SALAMEH, SOUTHERN SOHAG, UPPER EGYPT 71 31.695 31.7 31.705 31.71 31.715 31.72 31.725 31.73 31.735 31.74 31.745 31.75 26.37 26.38 26.39 26.4 26.41 2 km0 31.695 31.7 31.705 31.71 31.715 31.72 31.725 31.73 31.735 31.74 31.745 31.75 26.37 26.38 26.39 26.4 26.41 b-Mixing proportion of fresh water (River Nile, canal, and runoff)a-Mixing proportion of limestone aquifer Borehole site 5 15 25 35 45 55 65 75 85 5 15 25 35 45 55 65 75 85 95 % %C ultivated land Awlad Salamah C ultivated land Awlad Salamah Figure 5. Percentage of irrigation canals and drainage wastewater in the groundwater samples drinking and irrigation has been determined using World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and United States Environmental protection Agency (USEPA 1976) and a modified Wilcox class model. Irrigation water quality is de- pendent on its specific conductance, relative proportion of Na to cations, plant types, soil, and climate. The TDS of groundwater samples exceeds the permissible upper limits (TDS = 1000 ppm) for drinking in the study area. The groundwater is high to very high salinity hazards. The water class was permissible to doubtful, which reduce the perme- ability and therefore decline the income per capita. The in- crease of total salinity in the irrigation water caused an excessive increase of its content in the soil. Consequently, an accumulation of salts in plant cells will cause the growth damage of such plants. According to the U.S. Salinity Laboratory Staff (1954), the analyzed water samples are related to the following cate- gories (Figure 6a); 1) medium salinity and low S.A.R. (C2-S1), it is used for irrigation for all crops; 2) high salinity and low S.A.R. (C3-S1), it apply in soil of medium texture; 3) high salinity and medium S.A.R. (C3-S2), it is suitable for medium texture and high permeability; 4) high salinity and high S.A.R. (C3-S3), it is hazardous to most soils and re- quires good drainage and chemical amendments; 5) very high salinity and medium S.A.R. (C4-S2), it is not suitable due to its harmful water management for salinity control and 72 AIMAN ABDEL LATIF AND MOHAMED EL KASHOUTY a) b) Figure 6. U.S. Salinity Laboratory Staff (1954) classification (a) and piper graph (b) of Quaternary aquifer in Awlad Salma village in Sohag governorate leaching is necessary to remove the excess salts and is haz- ardous to most soils requires good drainage and chemical amendments; 6) very high salinity and high S.A.R. (C4-S3), it is not suitable due to its harmful water management for sa- linity control and leaching is necessary to remove the excess salts; 7) very high salinity and very high S.A.R. (C4-S4), it is not good for irrigation because its required chemical amend- ments and good drainage and most remove the excess salts. The samples numbers 13, 17, 20, 21, 24, 27, 38, 40, 41, 48, 49 and 50 are out of scale due to excessive salinity water, not advice to use for irrigation. Piper graphical representation indicate that almost all the samples fall in one zone (Fig. 6b) indicate a similar chemical signature. The cationic composi- tion of the waters ranges from Na+K dominated through a mix of Mg+Na+K dominated. The anionic composition are chloride dominated. It is alkaline type with prevailing sul- phate and chloride types. Conclusion This paper presents some of preliminary results of groundwater chemistry in Awlad Salameh village in Sohag Governorate, Upper Egypt. The problem of soil salinization was confirmed by this research. The ground- water salinity was very high in most of the samples. Caused by lithogenic and anthropogenic sources. The sa- linity decline where the infiltration enhanced in wadi de- posits. 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