Integrated geophysical and hydrochemical assessment of groundwater aquifers for agricultural development: a case study in the Area South Alamein-Wadi El Natrun Road, Egypt

Groundwater exploration and quality assessment are vital for cultural and agricultural development. In this paper, we provide integrated geophysical techniques, including geoelectric and magnetotelluric methods, along with hydrochemical analysis, which are employed to identify zones of low-salinity...

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Main Authors: Sultan A. S. Araffa, Ayman Abdulattif, Mohamed Al Deep, Ashraf Khozym, Hamada Salama, Wael R. Gaweish, Shereen Ebrahim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:All Earth
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/27669645.2025.2463735
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author Sultan A. S. Araffa
Ayman Abdulattif
Mohamed Al Deep
Ashraf Khozym
Hamada Salama
Wael R. Gaweish
Shereen Ebrahim
author_facet Sultan A. S. Araffa
Ayman Abdulattif
Mohamed Al Deep
Ashraf Khozym
Hamada Salama
Wael R. Gaweish
Shereen Ebrahim
author_sort Sultan A. S. Araffa
collection DOAJ
description Groundwater exploration and quality assessment are vital for cultural and agricultural development. In this paper, we provide integrated geophysical techniques, including geoelectric and magnetotelluric methods, along with hydrochemical analysis, which are employed to identify zones of low-salinity groundwater suitable for irrigation along the South Alamein-Wadi El Natrun Road in Egypt. The investigated area is located west of the Nile Delta, where most surrounding areas contain groundwater of different qualities. The study aims to delineate the low-salinity ones important to most crops. The interpretation of resistivity data reveals that the study area includes an aquifer with varying water salinity at depths between 68 and 78 metres. Water quality changes according to clay intercalation within the aquifer. Six Vertical Electrical Soundings (VES) and six Audio Magnetotelluric (AMT) stations were conducted to further characterise the region’s deep aquifer. The MT data indicate that a high-resistivity zone corresponds to high-quality water at depths between 120 and 200 metres. The combined analysis identifies a low-salinity groundwater zone at depths of 68 to 78 metres, with total dissolved solids (TDS) ranging from 1,728 to 3,840 ppm, which is suitable for irrigation. This aquifer’s distinctiveness lies in its brackish water, which can support various types of cultivation.
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spelling doaj-art-67ae5e64fbe342f288074fd18f0176002025-08-20T03:12:05ZengTaylor & Francis GroupAll Earth2766-96452025-12-0137111710.1080/27669645.2025.2463735Integrated geophysical and hydrochemical assessment of groundwater aquifers for agricultural development: a case study in the Area South Alamein-Wadi El Natrun Road, EgyptSultan A. S. Araffa0Ayman Abdulattif1Mohamed Al Deep2Ashraf Khozym3Hamada Salama4Wael R. Gaweish5Shereen Ebrahim6Geomagnetic and Geoelectric Department, National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Helwan, Cairo, EgyptGeomagnetic and Geoelectric Department, National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Helwan, Cairo, EgyptGeomagnetic and Geoelectric Department, National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Helwan, Cairo, EgyptGeomagnetic and Geoelectric Department, National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Helwan, Cairo, EgyptGeomagnetic and Geoelectric Department, National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Helwan, Cairo, EgyptGeomagnetic and Geoelectric Department, National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Helwan, Cairo, EgyptGeomagnetic and Geoelectric Department, National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Helwan, Cairo, EgyptGroundwater exploration and quality assessment are vital for cultural and agricultural development. In this paper, we provide integrated geophysical techniques, including geoelectric and magnetotelluric methods, along with hydrochemical analysis, which are employed to identify zones of low-salinity groundwater suitable for irrigation along the South Alamein-Wadi El Natrun Road in Egypt. The investigated area is located west of the Nile Delta, where most surrounding areas contain groundwater of different qualities. The study aims to delineate the low-salinity ones important to most crops. The interpretation of resistivity data reveals that the study area includes an aquifer with varying water salinity at depths between 68 and 78 metres. Water quality changes according to clay intercalation within the aquifer. Six Vertical Electrical Soundings (VES) and six Audio Magnetotelluric (AMT) stations were conducted to further characterise the region’s deep aquifer. The MT data indicate that a high-resistivity zone corresponds to high-quality water at depths between 120 and 200 metres. The combined analysis identifies a low-salinity groundwater zone at depths of 68 to 78 metres, with total dissolved solids (TDS) ranging from 1,728 to 3,840 ppm, which is suitable for irrigation. This aquifer’s distinctiveness lies in its brackish water, which can support various types of cultivation.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/27669645.2025.2463735Groundwater explorationaquifer characterisationresistivityaudio magnetotelluric (MT)faults
spellingShingle Sultan A. S. Araffa
Ayman Abdulattif
Mohamed Al Deep
Ashraf Khozym
Hamada Salama
Wael R. Gaweish
Shereen Ebrahim
Integrated geophysical and hydrochemical assessment of groundwater aquifers for agricultural development: a case study in the Area South Alamein-Wadi El Natrun Road, Egypt
All Earth
Groundwater exploration
aquifer characterisation
resistivity
audio magnetotelluric (MT)
faults
title Integrated geophysical and hydrochemical assessment of groundwater aquifers for agricultural development: a case study in the Area South Alamein-Wadi El Natrun Road, Egypt
title_full Integrated geophysical and hydrochemical assessment of groundwater aquifers for agricultural development: a case study in the Area South Alamein-Wadi El Natrun Road, Egypt
title_fullStr Integrated geophysical and hydrochemical assessment of groundwater aquifers for agricultural development: a case study in the Area South Alamein-Wadi El Natrun Road, Egypt
title_full_unstemmed Integrated geophysical and hydrochemical assessment of groundwater aquifers for agricultural development: a case study in the Area South Alamein-Wadi El Natrun Road, Egypt
title_short Integrated geophysical and hydrochemical assessment of groundwater aquifers for agricultural development: a case study in the Area South Alamein-Wadi El Natrun Road, Egypt
title_sort integrated geophysical and hydrochemical assessment of groundwater aquifers for agricultural development a case study in the area south alamein wadi el natrun road egypt
topic Groundwater exploration
aquifer characterisation
resistivity
audio magnetotelluric (MT)
faults
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/27669645.2025.2463735
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