The quantity and quality of the aquifers have been depleted by human activities such as industrialization, the use of fertilizers, excessive pumping, and the discharge of domestic wastewater. The government of Saudi Arabia (SA) built three dams in the Wadi Itwad so that Abha city could get 15,000 m3/d of water. Ten groundwater samples have been collected from ten wells (Well 1 – Well 10) located in Wadi Itwad. The samples were analyzed for total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, turbidity, temperature, chloride (Cl-), potassium (K), sulphate (SO42-), nitrate (NO3–), nitrite (NO2–), fluoride (F-), ammonia (NH4), radium (Ra)-226, 228, and 234, total uranium (TU), and total faecal coliforms to evaluate the aquifer quality and quantity and to preserve it by isolating it during dry periods. Geographic Information System (GIS)–Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) contour maps were utilized to collect and display the aquifer's hydrogeological parameters. The southeast of the downstream area shows the highest, whereas the lowest drawdown was in the northeastern and southwest parts of the downstream area. The TDS concentration was consistently within a narrow range of 573 to 606 ppm, and the anomalies in the SO42- and NO3– concentrations were consistent with and representative of runoff from agricultural areas. The low levels of NO2–, F-, and NH4 indicated negligible pollution. The concentration of radioactive elements was below the maximum contaminant level. Different hydrogeochemical processes within the aquifer system were distinguished using multivariate statistical analyses, including correlation analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The Processing Modflow Windows (PMWIN) groundwater modeling explains that the abstraction rate needs to be lowered during the first few days of pumping and then raised again afterwards. This could aid in decreasing withdrawals and enhancing aquifer hydrogeological properties.
The water seepage zone affects dryland salinity, soil sodicity, land degradation, waterlogging, and rainfall pollution. The priority in terms of the remediation measures was determining the cause of the seepages. Nine water and six soil samples were collected from the Al Tayseer area of the Wadi Bani Malik, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (SA). The water samples were analyzed for major and toxic metals. For the soil samples, granulometric analysis and infiltration rate analysis were performed. The total dissolved solids (TDS) in water seepages ranged from 1880 to 54,499, whereas boron (B) and iron (Fe) values ranged from 1.9 to 38 mg/L and 0.02 and 0.47 mg/L, respectively. These concentrations were the same for the aquifer in Lake Al Misk, confirming that groundwater infiltration from the lake area was the main reason for the water seepage. The concentrations of silica (Si), aluminum (Al), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb) were low, indicating that there was no contamination. The nitrate (NO32−) value ranged from 2.2 to 35 mg/L, indicating agricultural wastewater contribution. According to the granulometric examination, most sediment was sand, followed by gravel, with few fine-grain particles. The infiltration rate ranged from 85 to 864 cm/d, indicating significant leakage. The percentage of ferrugination, ferromagnesian, OH-bearing, and carbonate (CO₃2−) minerals is determined by the 4/2, 5/6, and 6/7 band ratios.
Abha city is distinguished by urbanization, infrastructure, deepening watercourses, and changes in runoff flow which encourage flash floods in the urban zones of many villages in the region. AlMahalah village is prone to flash flooding due to its geographic location near the outlet of convergence streams of significant flow. The Geographic Information System (GIS), Remote Sensing (RS), Water Modeling System (WMS), and Hydrologic Engineering Center-Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS) were used to assess the effects of flash floods on AlMahala village. Precipitation data from 1978 to 2020 was statistically processed and analysed to provide more information about flash flood hazards. With a 3-h lag time in both watersheds, the higher peak discharge in Wadi Abha than in Wadi Al Akkas indicates that flooding was a primary concern in Wadi Abha. With an average yearly rainfall of 520 mm, the hydrograph simulation from 1 to 5 April 2020 would contribute to the junction (outlet) point of AlMahala village with a peak discharge rate of 474.14 m3/s. The vegetation cover increased by 243 km2 in 2020 compared to 2016. The HEC-RAS model was used to calculate the water depth, velocity, and elevation of the water surface with and without dam installation. The study provides the administration with practical and reasonable procedures for avoiding flash flood destruction in urban areas.
Lead (Pb) poses a significant risk to human health and the environment. Global Pb production and consumption have markedly risen due to unregulated development and urbanization, Pb smelting, and Pb-acid battery processing. This study addresses the issue of elevated heavy metal concentrations in dust, soil, and groundwater in Shubra Al Khaymah due to the Awadallah Pb smelter. Pb concentration in soil and groundwater escalates in proximity to the Awadallah smelter and diminishes with distance from it—the surface soil functions as a repository for heavy metals. The concentrations of Pb (50–1500 µg/L), manganese (Mn) (1–750 µg/L), iron (Fe) (200–1250 µg/L), and boron (B) (250–1750 µg/L) in the groundwater stratum exceeded drinking and irrigation standards. A solution to the groundwater system issue is proposed by employing pumping wells adjacent to the riverbed to recover the contaminated water from the hydrogeological environment. Processing Modflow Path (PMPATH) program may delineate groundwater protection zones according to the travel time of 150 days (Zones 1 and 2) and the whole watershed source (Zone 3). An injection well was constructed to replenish excellent water quality in the groundwater aquifer in the upstream region. A 3D model of dissolved matter transport was created to examine the concentration distribution across remediation time in the contaminated region. This model demonstrates that, after 365 days of injection, the C/Co concentration ratio exceeded 70% in the downstream area, rendering it appropriate for drinking and irrigation. The alternate strategy is to encapsulate the severely contaminated zone. All measures aim to decrease the piezometric pressure in the vicinity, directing groundwater flow towards the contaminated zone, as accomplished by Processing Modflow Windows (PMWIN).
Exploring alternative freshwater resources other than those surrounding the Nile is critical to disperse Egypt’s population to other uninhabited desert areas. This study aims to locate groundwater potential zones (GWPZs) in the water-scarce desert between the Qina and Safga-Bir Queh regions to build groundwater wells, thereby attracting and supporting people’s demand for water, food, and urban development. Multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) and analytical hierarchical process (AHP) techniques based on remote sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) were used to map GWPZs. The outcome of the GWPZs map was divided into six different classes. High and very-high aquifer recharge potentials were localized in the middle and western parts, spanning 19.3% and 17% (16.4% and 15.7%) by MCE (AHP). Low and very low aquifer recharge potentials were distributed randomly in the eastern part over an area of 29% and 14.3% (26.9% and 6.1%) by MCE (AHP). Validation has been undertaken between the collected Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) and with the calculated GWPZs, indicating that the highest and lowest TDS concentrations of most aquifers are correlated with low to very low and high to very high aquifer potential, respectively. The study is promising and can be applied anywhere with similar setups for groundwater prospect and management.
The hydrological characteristics of the watershed in the southern Aseer and northern Jazan regions of Saudi Arabia (SA) were identified by integrated remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) techniques using Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and Landsat data. For this purpose, the Wadi Ishran, Wadi Baysh, Wadi Itwad, Wadi Tabab, and Wadi Bayd drainage basins were extracted. Wadi Ishran is the largest, and Wadi Tabab is the smallest. Stream order and bifurcation ratio show that the Itwad and Bayd basins are permeable and of high aquifer potentiality. The multisupervised classification found seven rock units that were spread out in different ways across the basins. The areas with the highest vegetation were in the southeast, the centre, and the northwest. The bands’ ratios show more iron-rich sediments in the northeast and southwest. This paper’s outcomes serve as the basis for planning and managing groundwater resources. It finds potential groundwater zones, determines the risk of flooding, and chooses places where harvesting can be undertaken.
There is an urgent need to explore and analyze new aquifer recharge potential zones (ARPZ) in arid regions exposed mainlyto hard rock local aquifers, whether fractured or non-fractured, for investment and fulfillment of the Saudi Vision 2030. Over-pumping, seawater intrusion, climatological changes, population growth, lack of traditional water supplies, expensive desalinized water, and excessive evaporation have characterized the Duba region of Tabuk province of Saudi Arabia (SA). Aquifer productivity and potentiality are affected by surface geology, rainfall, lineament density, drainage density, slope, elevation, soil, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). This study aims to demarcate the ARPZ using integrated remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) and (RS) approaches. The relative importance of each parameter was determined based on its impact on the aquifer’s potential through the analytical hierarchical process (AHP). The ARPZ zones are categorized into five classes starting from very low to very high potentiality. Southern, western, and northern areas have high to very high aquifer potentiality and recharge. They made up roughly 43% of the area that was examined. About 41.8% of the research area is comprised of low to very low groundwater potentiality, and this potentiality is dispersed over the western and central regions of the region. The medium aquifer potentiality level reflects about 15.2%. The high to very high aquifer potentiality areas coincide with low concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), and nitrate (NO3). The outcomes emphasized the decisiveness of the entire study and its applicability to any place with similar groundwater aspirations and management.
Abstract Groundwater is the only freshwater source for agriculture and domestic use in the Khulais region of Saudi Arabia (SA). Anthropogenic activities, particularly agricultural runoff and lithogenic sources cause groundwater contamination, posing health risks to all generations (infant, child, and adult) via ingestion, dermal, and inhalation exposure routes. The configuration of non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health concerns posed by contaminated water is, thus, a time-sensitive requirement. This study uses multivariate statistical techniques to assess health risks and to identify health impacts and pollution sources. Sampling of groundwater at nineteen sampling sites was carried out in two seasons (winter and summer) of 2021. The samples were analyzed for major ions and toxic metals. Results show that the average hazard quotient (HQ) and health hazard index (HHI) in infants was higher than 1 for most of toxic metal in both the seasons. The health risks associated with ingestion were significantly higher than those associated with the dermal and inhalation pathways. The aquifer’s carcinogenic risk ranged from high to extremely high in terms of chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) concentrations. The estimated health risk values may have a negative impact on people’s health, which suggests that active aquifer management should be implemented. Multivariate statistical analyses were accomplished to determine the primary contamination sources in the aquifer system. The total dissolved solid (TDS) correlated strongly among chloride (Cl − ), sulphate (SO 4 2− ), sodium (Na + ), potassium (K + ), magnesium (Mg 2+ ), calcium (Ca 2+ ), iron (Fe), strontium (Sr), fluoride (F − ) and bromide (Br − ), which caused by seawater intrusion within winter and summer seasons. The hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) identifies two clusters and one independent case within the summer and winter seasons. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant variations in the concentrations of Mg 2+ , Aluminum (Al), Cobalt (Co), Cr, Ni, and Pb in winter, while TDS, electrical conductivity (EC), Cl − , SO 4 2− , Na + , Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Sr, F − and Br − in summer. This research demonstrates that aquifer cleanup and management protocols should be implemented, encouraged, and maintained. Applying the best hygienic practices and pre-clean-up of polluted groundwater is recommended before application for different purposes.
The Tabuk province of Saudi Arabia (SA) has an arid zone, few aquifers, high groundwater salinity (seawater intrusion), and accelerated population, industrial, and agricultural development. The development of Tabuk Basin is essential for the addition of new freshwater resources and the enhancement of aquifer recharge potential. The hydrological characteristics of the drainage basin aid in the identification of watersheds, enabling the protection and management of land erosion and ground/surface water resources. This study analyzed hydro-morphometric data from the eighteen sub-basins of the Tabuk Basin using multivariate statistical approaches and coupled remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS) for water priority determination. The results show that the four principal components (PC1-4) have a variance of 90.4% concerning bifurcation ratio (Rb), ruggedness number (Rn), elongation ratio (Re), drainage density (Dd), basin relief (Bh), circularity ratio (Rc), and relief ratio (Rh). The Al Ula, Thaibah, Hamd, Dama, Al Wajh, Al Ghamra, and Azlam sub-basins showed the highest priority, indicating soil erosion and the necessity for mitigating measures to reduce infrastructure damage. Most exposed geology (67%) exhibited strong permeability and good infiltration (sedimentary cover and Quaternary sediments). The rest (23%) showed low to medium permeability (igneous, metamorphic, and carbonate rocks). The best promising sites for building new wells can reduce surface runoff and soil erosion through aquifer infiltration and abstraction. The aquifer potentiality map was accomplished for Al Ula, Thaibah, Hamd, and Dama drainage basins. The most prospective groundwater investigation regions were identified, coinciding with the drilled wells that confirmed and validated the results. The estimated zones of high to very high aquifer potentiality were used to add additional wells for investment reduce soil erosion, mitigate alternatives, agriculture, urbanization, etc. The other sub-basins have a medium to low priority, with less soil erosion and aquifer recharge.