ABSTRACT
Development of the Nile Desert fringes and establishing of new communities and settlements are among the future national plans of Egypt. East Esna-Idfu area represents one of the interested areas for the future land reclamation. It is characterized by large surface area and good groundwater and soil potentialities. Accordingly, the evaluation of the water resources is required. Based on field investigations and using different maps (topographic and geologic), the area of study is geomorphologically, geologically and hydrogeologically evaluated. Water samples representing the investigated groundwater were collected, chemically analyzed and the stable isotopic composition (2H and 18O) were determined for selected samples. Besides, the Esna-Idfu main basins and Wadi Abadi five sub-basins have been subjected to the morphometric analyses to determine the hazards of these basins.
The morphometric analyses of the hydrographic basins reveal elongated shapes of Abadi basin and its sub basins, as well as its considerable groundwater potentiality. W. Abadi, W. El Kelabya basins and W. El Batour sub- basin have high hazard with strength degree 5, under such condition the construction of alternative barriers at the upstream portions of these basins will minimize flooding hazards and give more chance for groundwater recharge.
The groundwater is available in three aquifers; Quaternary (alluvial) aquifer, Upper Cretaceous (Nubian sandstone) aquifer and Pre- Cambrian (Fracture basement) aquifer. The Quaternary (alluvial) aquifer is detected in Wadi Abadi, Wadi El Dir, Wadi El Shoky and Wadi El Myah. The groundwater is recorded at depths range from 1.5 to 65 m and the groundwater salinity ranges from 718.9 to 8294 mg/l. The Quaternary (alluvial) aquifer is recharged from direct precipitation during flash floods and in some localities by upward leakage from the Nubian sandstone aquifer. The Upper Cretaceous (Nubian sandstone) aquifer is detected only in Wadi Abadi. The groundwater of the concerned aquifer is recorded at depths range from 3 to 11.9 m and the groundwater salinity ranges from 1224.8 to 13826.8 mg/l. The stable isotopes revealed that the Nubian sandstone aquifer was recharged mainly during the pluvial periods dominated in the Pleistocene .The Pre- Cambrian (Fracture basement) aquifer is detected only in Wadi El Myah and the groundwater is recorded at depths ranges from11.5 m to 30.6 m from ground surface and the groundwater salinity ranges from 718.9 mg/l to 8912.8 mg/l. Rain fall is the main recharging source of this aquifer.
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