Hydro-Geophysical Investigations for the Purposes of Groundwater Artificial Recharge in Wadi Al-Butum Area, Jordan

doi:10.4236/jwarp.2012.47059

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Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 2012, 4, 507-515

http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jwarp.2012.47059 Published Online July 2012 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/jwarp)

Hydro-Geophysical Investigations for the Purposes of

Groundwater Artificial Recharge in Wadi Al-Butum

Area, Jordan

Hani Al-Amoush

Earth and Environmental Sciences Department, Al Al-Bayt University, Mafraq, Jordan

Email: [email protected]

Received March 20, 2012; revised April 22, 2012; accepted May 25, 2012

ABSTRACT

In this article, the potential for artificial groundwater recharge of Wadi Al-Butum catchments area—Jordan is studied,

using geoelectrical resistivity surveys and hydro geochemical methods with the aim of storing some of surface water

during flood events times to be recharged in the groundwater as an essential part of integrated water resources man-

agement. The results of geoelectrical surveys show the existence of potential zones of alluvial deposits to store and re-

charge the groundwater aquifers. The hydro-geochemical modeling results show an overall upgrading of the original

groundwater quality could be expected.

Keywords: VES; Hydro-Geophysics; Artificial Recharge; Wadi Al-Butum

1. Introduction

Jordan is located in an arid to semi arid lands, and it is

considered among the scarcest water resources countries

in the world. About 81% of its area receives rainfall in

average less than 100 mm/year [1]. Most of the received

precipitation is being lost due to the high evaporation

rates [2]. Jordan is characterized by severe weather con-

ditions, therefore great temporal and spatial variations in

rainfall; runoff and evaporation amounts are expected [3].

The annual population growth rate in Jordan is estimated

to be around 2.65%. Based on this percentage, it is esti-

mated that the total population in Jordan will be around

12 millions by 2020 [4]. This will add more pressures on

the existing water resources in the country leading to a

massive decrease in per capita to 85 m3·capita–1·year–1 by

2025 [4]. One alternative to water sustainability crisis

occurring in arid land is groundwater artificial recharge.

It refers to the entry of water from the unsaturated zone

into the saturated zone below the water table together

with the associated flow away from the water table with-

in the saturated zone [5]. The major source of water for

recharging groundwater aquifers in arid and semi-arid

zones is wadi runoff [6].

Wadi Al-Butum sub catchments area located in the

Jordanian desert and surrounded the historical archeo-

logical site—Qasar Amra. The principle groundwater

aquifer beneath Wadi Al-Butum is the Rijam formation

B4 which outcrops at the surface along wadi beds in

some places. Although the B4 aquifer derives the major-

ity of its recharge from the north and northeast (basalt

area), significant recharge does come from the area im-

mediately surrounded the wadi [7].

According to previous studies conducted by [1], it was

concluded that the runoff along Wadi Al-Butum is gener-

ated when a precipitation event exceeds in its amount 15

mm. In the period 1969 to 2006 only three years 1998/

1999, 1999/2000 and 2001/2002 show that all the rainfall

events taking place in these years were less than 20 mm.

But the total runoffs in these years were 33,400, 71,600

and 104,900 m3 respectively. The total annual runoffs in

the period 1969 to 2010 ranged from 33,000 m3 as a

minimum to 65.6 million m3 as a maximum [1]. The in-

filtration rate in Wadi Al-Butum area was estimated to be

0.197 m/day [7].

Recently, several studies have been used integrated

techniques in order evaluate the groundwater occurrences

and locate artificial recharge zones and finding suitable

sites for artificially groundwater recharge (e.g. [8,9]).

In this present study, hydro-geophysical investigations

including vertical resistivity sounding surveys and hydro-

geochemical modeling were carried out with the aim of

studying the potential for artificial groundwater recharge

in Wadi Al-Butum catchments area.

2. Description of the Study Area

The study area is located in the northern part of Jordan. It

is situated within the coordinates longitudes 36˚20′ and

36˚35′ East, and Latitude 31˚40′ and 32˚00′ North (Fig-

H. AL-AMOUSH

508

ure 1). The elevation of Wadi Al-Butum watershed area

is ranging from 500 m above mean sea level (a.m.s.l) at

the wadi bed near outlet point to 700 m a.m.s.l at the

hilltops. The slopes may range up to 2%, and the general

topography becomes flat at the most eastern part of the

study area. Climatologically, the study area is classified

as semi-arid area; two well-defined seasons are dominat-

ing, hot, dry summer season and low wet, cold winter

season [10]. The average annual minimum and maximum

daily temperatures are 11.6˚C and 26.6˚C respectively.

Humidity varies from 49.9% to 61.0% in summer and

from 56.0% to 82.0% in winter [10]. The average daily

evaporation observed is 10.4 mm/day and it varies from

5.0 to 19.0 mm/d in summer and from 3.0 to 12.0 mm/d

in winter [11]. The average annual rainfall ranges from

50 mm/y in the most eastern part of the study area to 130

mm/y in the northwestern part [1].

3. Geology of the Study Area

The study area was mapped several times during the last

few decades as part of regional mapping program [12-14].

The study area incorporates exposures of sedimentary

rocks, ranging in age from Cretaceous to Quaternary.

The Quaternary deposits cover in the east the underlying

Tertiary deposits. The latter are intermittently exposed at

the surface in the west and southwest [15]. The sediment-

tary sequence includes limestone, chert, marl, chalk, sand-

stone, clay and evaporites. These rocks are frequently

covered with a variably thick sequence of superficial de-

posits including alluvium, mud-silt in flats, chert pave-

ment, Pleistocene gravels, and sand and evaporites in-

crustations [12]. In the subsurface a thick sedimentary

section changing in thickness as well as varying in the

Figure 1. Location map of Wadi Al-Butum sub-catchments

area (closed blue polygon—east of Amman).

litho-stratigraphic and formational units underlie the

study area. These sediments range in age from early Pa-

leozoic to Pleistocene and are primarily composed of

carbonates, sandstones and shale. The major thickness re-

duction in the sequence is towards west and southwest

[15]. The Cretaceous to Tertiary deposits in the area

comprise a thick sedimentary section measuring more

than 350 m mostly of marine sediments. In Jordan the

Lower Cretaceous boundary with older units is well iden-

tified by a recognizable sandstone unit of the Nubian

type known as the “Kurnub Sandstone”. This is identified

in the area in several wells, as the sandstone formation

underlying the carbonate facies of Cenomanian age. This

sandstone unit varies in thickness, depth, and marks the

transition zone of the major unconformity between the

Jurassic and the early Cretaceous. Table 1 lists the litho-

stratigraphic successions in the study area with a brief

description for each formation.

4. Discussion and Results

4.1. Geoelectrical Data Acquisition and

Processing

Ten Vertical Electrical Resistivity Soundings (VES) were

conducted along the course of Wadi Al-Butum (Figure 2),

using an ABEM CAMPUS GEOPULSE Ltd. resistivity

meter. Schlumberger configuration of electrodes was

used in the field surveys. The profiles were directed into

N-S direction perpendicular to the Wadi Al-Butum

Course. The maximum current electrodes separation ex-

tends up to 1000 m. The increase of electrical electrodes

separation lead to rapidly reduced the potential difference

to be measured at potential electrodes [16]; therefore the

potential electrode distances were increased gradually to

get a better signal. The selection of soundings location

was governed by the site conditions. The apparent resis-

tivity values were obtained by multiplying the field re-

sistance measurements by configuration factor at each of

electrodes separation. The calculated apparent resistivity

measurements were plotted against half of the current

electrode spacing (AB/2) on bi-logarithmic scale, a tradi-

tional interpretation techniques by curve matching and

drawing auxiliary point diagram [17] was applied. Based

on this preliminary interpretation, an initial estimation of

resistivities and thicknesses of various geo-electrical lay-

ers was obtained. These preliminary estimations were

later used as a start model incorporating known geology

and the available well data for a fast computer-assisted

interpretation RESIST written by [18]. The results of

interpretation were also compared with the result of

purely automatic inversion programs without any as-

sumptions of layering model in which the layering model

is obtained directly from a digitized sounding curve [19].

In order to get a reasonable interpretation of geoelectrical

H. AL-AMOUSH

509

Table 1. Litho-strartigraphic successions in the study area (after [13,14]).

Formation name Rock type and thickness (m) Age

Alluvium and Mudflat Mud, laminated silt and clay Recent

Holocene to

Recent

Sediments Alluvium and

wadi sediment

Sand, sorted and unsorted pebble and boulders of limestone and chert of

local bedrock Recent

Superficial deposits Fluviatile and lacustrine Gravels of Pleistocene/composed of

non-cemented, poorly-sorted deposit of chert and limestone clasts Recent

Wadi shallaleh chalk formation (B5) Chalk, marl, glauconitic and micritic limestone, (10 - 22) m in the central part

of the study area Eocene

Um Rijam chert limestone

formation (B4) Chert, chalk, limestone, chalky limestone (80 - 130) m Paleocene

Muwaqqar chalk marl F. (B3) Chalk, limestone, marly chalk, chert, bituminous (70 - 200) m Campanian-Danian

Amman F. (B2) Limestone, chert, chalk, phosphatic (80 - 90) m Campanian

Ghudran F. (B1)

Belqa group

Chalk, marl, marly-limestone (10 - 12) m NW of the study area Coniacian-Santonian

Wadi El-Sir (A7) Crystalline limestone, marl, chert (90 - 100) m Touranian

Upper Cenomanian

Fuheis/Hummar/Shuieb (F/H/S)

formations (A3 - A6) Marl, marly limestone

Na’ur (A1/2)

Ajlun group Upper-mid Cenomanian

Lower-mid Cenomanian

Thick bedded nodular dolomitic limestone, chert, marl Lower Cenomanian

Figure 2. Location map of geoelectrical test sites and

groundwater wells.

measurements about the hydro-geological setting of the

study area, a correlation between the available borehole

log records in the vicinity of surveyed sites have been

constructed (Figure 3) and used in deducing the Litholo-

gical—resistivity interpretation A Summary list of the

interpreted geo-electrical models for VES soundings are

presented in Table 2, while (Figures 4-6) show three

examples of VES curves and their geophysical interpre-

tation.

4.2. Interpretation of Geoelectrical Resistivity

Data

Figure 7 shows geoelectrical cross section along a part

of the course of wadi Al-Butum area constructed from a

series of vertical electrical soundings and correlated with

adjacent borehole F1274. The interpretation of resistivity

data led to the following findings:

The resistivity of the near surface layer is ranging be-

tween 320 and 2000 Ohm.m that characterize and typi-

cally indicative to alluvium deposits (gravel, sand). This

layer reaches its maximum thickness between VES6 and

VES4 (35 m), and does not exposed at VES1. This layer

is considered of high potential for groundwater recharge.

A relatively high resistivity layer (290 - 935) Ohm.m

is found beneath VES10, VES5m, VES2 and VES1. The

maximum thickness of this layer is found at VES5 (20

m). This layer is interpreted as paleo-channel alluvial

deposits (Figure 2, location map) and it is considered of

high potential for groundwater recharge.

Low resistivity layer (15 - 18) Ohm.m has been de-

tected at depth of 45 m below ground surface at VES9

and VES8. The maximum thickness of this layer (35 m)

has been recorded at VES9 and does not detected at the

other VES sites along the section. This layer is inter-

preted as a saturated layer of saline groundwater which

account for the high salinity of F1274 borehole (1750

μS/cm) (Table 3).

The resistivity range (35 - 150) Ohm.m extending all

over the geoelectrical section (e.g. at depth 38 m beneath

VES7, VES8 and VES9, 44 m beneath VES6 and 60 m

beneath VES5) is interpreted as the main aquifer to be

recharged (Rijam aquifer, B4) in the study area. The va-

riation of resistivity reflects lithological variation and de-

gree of saturation within the aquifer.

Two prominent high resistivity layers (500 - 15,000)

H. AL-AMOUSH

510

F1172

B4 / B5

F1274

West

600m

500m

Rijam Formation

East

Alluvial Deposits

Muwaqqar Form ation

400m

Elevation

300m

200m

B4:

B3:

B5:

Shallaleh Formation

F1054

Alluvium deposits

Figure 3. Correlation of the available borehole log records in vicinity of geoelectrical test sites illustrating the hydro-geologi-

cal setting of the study area.

Figure 4. Modeling of a sounding point VES-5: measured apparent resistivity (blue dots), best-fit model (tabulated and as a

graph in logarithmic scale) and related curve model (full line) are shown.

Figure 5. Modeling of a sounding VES-9: measured apparent resistivity (blue dots), best-fit model (tabulated and as a graph

in logarithmic scale) and related curve model (full line) are shown.

H. AL-AMOUSH 511

Figure 6. Modeling of a sounding VES-10: measured apparent resistivity (blue dots), best-fit model (tabulated and as a graph

in logarithmic scale) and related curve model (full line) are shown.

40m

50m

60m

70m

80m

90m

100m

30m

20m

10m

VES1

VES6 VES4

285

VES10

VES5

VES2

VES9 VES8

VES3

VES7

625-1317

320 - 2000

70 - 127



15 - 95

500 - 15000

765 - 34914



290 - 935



15 - 18



100 - 235



100 - 150



0 - 190



320 - 2000

West

40m

50m

60m

70m

80m

90m

100m

30m

20m

10m

East

F1274

well

Rijam Formation B4

36 - 80



300 600 m

Potential Ground

Potential Groundwater

Recharge Zone

water

Potenti al Groundwa

Recharge Zone

ter

Possible paleo-channel

(Potential for groundwatre recharge)

Figure 7. Resistivity depth profiles from interpreted vertical electrical sounding points along the course of Wadi Al-Butum

area depicting the groundwater recharge zones potential and groundwater occurrences. Lithological data of borehole F1274

is projected onto the section (see Figure 2 for location of VES’s and F1274 borehole).

Table 2. Interpretation of multilayer best-fit model of VES’s.

Depth (m) Suggested litho-logical interpretation based on available surface geological and well log data

VES-1

G.S* - 47 m Low resistivity fluviatile gravels, clasts of chert, limestone, with various grain sizes

>47 m - ? Highly resistive substratum bedrock

VES-2

G.S - 59 m Alluvial sediments, recent alluvial deposits of ephemeral wades, various facies of poorly sorted sediments, as shown by

a variation of resistivity values

>59 m - ? Highly resistive substratum bedrock

H. AL-AMOUSH

512

Continued

VES-3

0 - 32 m Low resistivity zone (39 - 100 Ω.m); wadi sediments, clasts of limestone, chert, chalk, alluvial, with various grain size

32 - 100 m Relatively higher resistivity deposits, attributed to variation of litho-logical and sedimentalogical characteristics

(sorting, grain size etc...) of wadi sediments and alluvial

>100 m - ? A declining in resistivity values which could indicate to a presence of groundwater saturated zones ( correlated with F1054 well log)

VES-4

G.S - 6.5 m High resistivity deposits; dry alluvial sediments; wadi sediment; clasts of limestone and chert (boulder)

6.5 - 12.5 m Higher resistivity zone; limestone chert

12.5 - 40 m Low resistivity sediments; clay or saturated zones of groundwater

>40 m - ? Highly resistive substratum bedrock

VES-5

G.S - 3 m High resistivity deposits; Gravel; wadi sediment; alluvial deposits

3 - 13 m Low resistivity alluvial zone attributed to lithological and Lithiofacies variation

3 - 28 m High resistivity zone; clasts of limestone, chert, chalk

28 - 85 m Low resistivity zone (alluvial deposits); could indicate to saturated alluvial deposits?!!

VES-6

G.S - 4 m High resistivity top soil; alluvial; wadi sediment; clasts of limestone, chert

4 - 9 m Low resistivity zone; Saturated alluvial zone

9 - 35 m High resistive layers; dry alluvial deposits

35 - 86 m Declining in resistivity values attributed to saturated wadi sediment of groundwater and/or to lithological variations

of alluvial deposits.

*G.S: Ground Surface

VES-7

G.S* to 7.5 m High resistivity top dry soil (alluvial sediment) (Mudflat)

7.5 - 11.5 Low resistivity layer; saturated alluvial sediments

11.5 - 90 m Intermediate resistivity zone (160 Ω.m); attributed to lithological variations within the sediments (B4?)

>90 m Low resistivity substratum deposits; could indicate to the presence of saturated groundwater aquifer- Rijam aquifer-(B4)-correlated

with F1172

VES-8

G.S - 5.0 m Highly resistive top dry alluvial sediment

5.0 - 12 m Low resistivity layer; saturated alluvial sediments

12 - 25 m High resistivity zone; lithological variations

25 - 82 m Low resistivity deposits (35 Ω.m); could indicate to the presence of saturated groundwater zones-Rijam aquifer-(B4)-

good correlation with well log (F1172)

>82 m Increasing of resistivity of substratum layer

VES-9

G.S - 6 m High resistivity top dry alluvial sediment

6 - 12.5 m Low resistivity layer; Saturated alluvial sediments; Good correlation with VES-8 and VES-7.

12.5 - 27 m High resistivity zone; lithological variations; Good correlation with VES-8 and VES-7

>27 m - >80 m Decreasing in resistivity to about (15 - 80) Ω.m which could indicate to the presence of saturated groundwater zones-Rijam

formation-(B4); Good correlation with VES-8 and VES-7

VES-10

G.S - 2.5 m High resistive zone; wadi sediment; limestone, chert

2.5 - 10 m Intermediate resistivity zone 160 Ω.m; attributed to lithological variations within wadi sediment.

10 - 50 m Low resistivity zone; Saturated alluvial zones

50 - >80 m Slightly increasing of resistivity attributed to lithological variations within Rijam formation (B4) aquifer.

*G.S: Ground Surface

H. AL-AMOUSH

513

Table 3. Average chemical composition of water samples in Wadi Al-Butum catchments area (Data source; [1] in addition to

recent data analyses).

No Parameter Rainfall Runoff

(flood wades)

Groundwater (F1054)

B4/5 Aquifer

Groundwater (F1274)

B4and B2 Aquifer

1 pH 7.84 8.04 8.10 7.50

2 T (˚C) 17.00 18.10 21.30 22.00

3 EC (μS/cm) 165.00 254.9 530.00 1750.00

4 K2+ (mg/l) 1.45 4.69 5.00 26.00

5 Mg2+ (mg/l) 2.43 5.71 10.00 39.50

6 Ca2+ (mg/l) 21.44 27.45 18.00 122.00

7 Na+ (mg/l) 7.81 14.48 70.00 189.00

8 Cl– (mg/l) 20.56 10.63 80.00 303.00

9 2

SO 

HCO

NO

HCO

HCO

(mg/l) 15.84 15.36 29.00 396.00

10 (mg/l) 56.70 114.04 120.00 290.00

11 (mg/l) 3.51 3.51 5.0 1.01

12 Water Type Ca2+--Cl– Ca2+-Na+-



Na+-Cl–-3

HCO



Na+-Ca2+-Cl–- -

SO 

HCO



Ohm.m at depth 45 m beneath VES5 and (765 - 34,900)

Ohm.m at depth 40 beneath VES4 are identified.

5. Hydrochemistry Study

A major concern in artificial groundwater recharge stu-

dies is the resulting water chemistry when surface water

joins the groundwater system and mixes with it. Mixing

processes generally shift the water chemistry of the two

mixed solution into a middle state between them depend-

ing on the mixing ratios [20]. In this study a theoretical

hydro-geochemical modeling has been performed using

the software HYDROWIN Version.3 [21] to investigate

the affect of recharge surface water on the groundwater

chemistry. Therefore, historical chemical analysis of wa-

ter samples [1] in addition to recent analyzed water sam-

ples have been gathered and used in this study. The ave-

rage chemical composition of runoff (Flood water), rain-

fall and groundwater samples from different aquifers in

Wadi Al-Butum catchments area, and their types are

listed in Table 3.

Mixing Processes and Saturation Indices

Theoretical mixing processes between the flood water

and groundwater sample have been carried out using

HYDRWIN program [21]. The program allows us to

calculate solution specifications and saturation states of

the aqueous state with respect to various minerals phases.

In this study, the simulation started by adding 0% to 50%

of surface runoff water to the groundwater sample of

Rijam aquifer (B4) represented by F1054 well and to

groundwater of B2/A7 aquifer represented by well F1274

(Table 5). The process is made five times within this

range, until equal ratio of 50% to 50% was reached. The

results of mixing process and saturation indices are listed

in Table 4, Table 5 and Table 6 respectively.

The results of hydro-geochemical analyses and simu-

lation process revealed the following findings:

Water/rock interaction is very limited in well F1054,

as indicated by the relatively low salinity (530 μS/cm)

and other salinity parameters (Table 3). This is because

the Rijam aquifer (R4) from which water produced is

cropping out at the earth surface or very shallow and is in

direct hydraulic connection with alluvial of Wadi Al-

Butum, which are recharged from runoff water of the

Wadi. On the contrary, the high salinity (1750 μS/cm)

and salinity parameters of Well F1274, which is pro-

duced from the deep limestone aquifer (B2/A7), in addi-

tion of B4, indicate a major water/rock interaction. Par-

ticularly when the infiltrated water contains of high bi-

carbonate concentrations.

The samples, runoff water, groundwater of different

aquifers (B4 of F1054 and B2/A7 of F1274), mixing of

different water samples (Table 4 and 5) are under satu-

rated with respect to Gypsum, Anhydrite and Magnesite.

Rainfall is under saturated with respect to Aragonite,

Dolomite, Calcite, Gypsum, Anhydrite and Magnesite.

Groundwater of B2/A7 is over-saturated with respect

to Aragonite, calcite and Dolomite reflecting the water/

rock interaction. While the groundwater of B4 aquifer is

only oversaturated with respect of Dolomite (Table 6).

The results of mixing surface runoff water to the

groundwater of B4 and B2/A7 indicating over-saturated

with respect to calcite.

In general, the theoretical mixing of surface water run-

offs with ground water shows an overall upgrading of the

groundwater quality. The concentrations of chloride and

nitrate ions in addition to other ions were found to de-

crease in groundwater in most mixing processes, reflect-

ing the overall enhancement of the quality of the original

H. AL-AMOUSH

514

Table 4. Mixing results of surface runoff water and groundwater of well F1054.

Solution 1 Surface Runoff Sample

Solution 2 Groundwater (F1054)

Percentage of Solution 1

Parameter 1.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.00

pH 8.04 8.09 8.08 8.08 8.07 8.07 8.01

T (˚C) 18.10 20.98 20.66 20.34 20.02 19.70 21.30

EC (μS/cm) 254.90 502.50 475.00 448.00 420.00 393.00 530.00

K2+ (mg/l) 4.69 4.96 4.93 4.90 4.88 4.84 5.00

Mg2+ (mg/l) 5.70 9.60 9.14 8.70 8.30 7.80 10.00

Ca2+ (mg/l) 27.45 18.90 19.90 20.84 21.78 22.70 18.00

Na+ (mg/l) 14.48 64.40 58.90 53.30 47.80 42.20 70.00

Cl– (mg/l) 10.60 73.00 66.10 59.10 52.20 45.20 80.00

SO 

HCO

NO

(mg/l) 15.40 27.60 26.30 24.90 23.50 22.20 29.00

(mg/l) 114.10 114.10 114.10 114.10 114.08 114.06 114.04

(mg/l) 3.51 1.25 1.500 1.75 2.00 2.25 1.00

Table 5. Mixing results of surface runoff water and groundwater of well F1274.

Solution 1 Surface Runoff Sample

Solution 2 Groundwater (F1274 )

Percentage of Solution 1 in the Mixture

Parameter 1.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.00

pH 8.04 7.55 7.60 7.66 7.72 7.70 7.50

T (˚C) 18.10 21.60 21.22 20.83 20.44 20.05 22.00

EC (μS/cm) 255.00 1600.00 1450.00 1301.00 1152.00 1003.00 1750.00

K2+ (mg/l) 4.69 23.86 21.70 19.60 17.50 15.30 26.00

Mg2+ (mg/l) 5.70 36.12 32.70 29.30 26.00 22.60 29.50

Ca2+ (mg/l) 27.40 112.50 103.10 93.60 84.10 74.70 122.00

Na+ (mg/l) 14.40 171.55 154.10 137.00 119.00 101.70 189.00

Cl– (mg/l) 10.63 273.70 244.50 215.20 186.10 156.00 303.00

SO 

HCO

NO

(mg/l) 15.36 358.00 320.00 282.00 244.00 206.00 396.00

(mg/l) 114.10 272.40 254.80 237.00 220.00 202.00 290.00

(mg/l) 3.51 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00 2.25 1.00

Table 6. Saturation Indices (S.I) for different water samples.

Water Sample S.I

Calcite

S.I

Aragonite

S.I

Dolomite

S.I

Anhydrite

S.I

Gypsum

S.I

Magnesite

Rainfall –0.890 –1.050 –2.260 –2.930 –2.68 –2.17

Runoff (Flood water) 0.080 –0.070 –0.060 –2.870 –2.63 –0.90

Groundwater (F1274) 0.430 0.290 0.770 –1.220 –0.99 –0.31

Groundwater (F1054) –0.029 –0.175 0.096 –2.834 –2.60 –0.549

0.5 Runoff + 0.5 GW (F1274) (Mixing) 0.090 –0.050 –0.001 –1.570 –1.35 –0.66

0.5 Runoff + 0.5 GW (F1054) (Mixing) 0.035 –0.110 0.040 –2.830 –2.58 –0.715

H. AL-AMOUSH 515

groundwater.

6. Conclusions

Ten vertical electrical resistivity soundings (VES) have

been used to investigate the subsurface hydro-geological

conditions (to a depth of about 100 m) in Wadi Al-Butum

sub-catchments area for groundwater artificial recharge

purposes. Adjacent boreholes, historical and recent ana-

lyzed chemical analyses of rainfall, surface water and

groundwater of two aquifer types’ samples were also

available.

Interpretation of geoelectrical data indicates the pre-

sence of near-surface potential layer of alluvial deposits

to store and recharge the shallow limestone aquifer. The

thickness of this layer was found to be 35 m in the west-

ern part of study area (beneath VES4) and around 10 m

at the most eastern part at VES7. Moreover, a highly po-

tential alluvial paleo-channel deposits (20 m) for ground-

water recharged is found at VES5. The results of hydro-

geochemical modeling, saturation indices and rock/water

interactions indicate an overall enhancement of the origi-

nal ground quality could be expected.

7. Acknowledgements

The author sincerely acknowledges Prof. Elias Salameh

from university of Jordan for the great valuable collabo-

ration and suggestions. Special thanks for my colleagues

Adnan Rizg, Mo’ns Al-Alwneh and Majdi Al-Sirhan for

their great cooperation during field works. Critical and

constructive review of the manuscript by the reviewers is

greatly treasured.

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