الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 16 |  |  |
| | | from | 16 | | |
Abstract
Sinai has an arid climatic conditions and scarce water resources.
Groundwater resources play an important role for sustainable development
of Sinai Peninsula. This study aims to evaluate the quantity and quality of
potential groundwater resources, their mode of occurrence in the different
geologic formations and potential sustainable development. The evaluation
of groundwater potentialities is done for the eastern area of Suez Canal
along the western part of Sinai Peninsula.
The study is mainly based on filed survey for groundwater wells,
measuring water level and yield as well as analyzing groundwater quality.
Moreover the sedimentological, geophysical and hydrologic studies were
carried out.
The study area is covered by five geomorphologic units; these are Sand
dunes, Sabkha, Salt lakes, Basin and Mountains. The main geologic units is
dated back to Mesozoic and Cenozoic periods. These units are lithologically
composed mainly of clastic (sand, sandstone, gravel, silt and clay) and nonclastic
(limestone and dolomite) sediments.
The geophysical investigations has recognized 4 layers in the
Quaternary sediments according to variations in lithology and salinity. The
sedimentary section of the southern part is different than the northern part.
Groundwater exists in the sand dunes covering the northern part while the
southern part is occupied by shale, limestone and /or sandstone of low
groundwater potentialities. The salinity of groundwater varies according to
the distance from both Mediterranean Sea and Suez Canal.
The Quaternary aquifer is the most important aquifers in the study
area. The salinity of the groundwater in the second zone range from 500 to
4000 ppm and the productivity of wells range from 15 to 40 m3 / hr and the
depths to water level by the range of 3 to 55 meters from ground level. The
aquifer is renewable and depends on rainwater that falls on the catchment
area. The annual recharge is estimated about 14.5 million m3. The extracted
amount of water per year from 120 wells is about 3 million m3. This amount
is much less than the amount of annual recharge, so it is advisable to expand
groundwater production from this aquifer and exploit about 11.5 million m3/
year more for the development of viable areas east of the Suez Canal.
The Lower Cretaceous aquifer is the second most important aquifers
in the study area. The groundwater salinity range from 2500 to 4000 ppm
and the average well yield is about 25.5 m3 / hr. and the depths to water level
range from 5 to 14 meters below ground surface. The average thickness of
the aquifer is 150 meters and extends on an area of about 600 km2 of
average porosity 10 %. The aquifer is non-renewable and has been recharged
mainly during the pluvial periods. The extracted amount of water is
estimated about 750 thousand m3/year from about nine deep wells. The total
reserve of groundwater in this aquifer is estimated at about 9 billion m3. It is
recommended to expand drilling new wells and produce much more
groundwater from this aquifer to supply sustainable development along the
southern part of the study area.
The Tertiary aquifer east Suez Canal is promising and deserves more
investigations and drilling more test boreholes.