TITLE:
Numerical Groundwater Flow Modeling of the Coastal Plain Sand Aquifer, Akwa Ibom State, SE Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Aniekan Edet, Ramadan Abdelaziz, Broder Merkel, Chiedu Okereke, Therese Nganje
KEYWORDS:
Akwa Ibom; Coastal Aquifer; Modeling; MODFLOW
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Water Resource and Protection,
Vol.6 No.4,
March
20,
2014
ABSTRACT: Akwa Ibom
State is located in the Niger delta region of Nigeria. The coastal plain sand
aquifer, which underlies the area, is the major source of potable water for
domestic, agricultural, and industrial use. The increase in demand for water
has led to an increased exploitation of the aquifer in the last few years.
Hence it is essential to quantify the amount of exploitable water in the aquifer.
To achieve this goal, a regional numerical groundwater flow model using MODFLOW
was calibrated under steady-state conditions to determine the aquifer’s
hydraulic conductivity (K) and the recharge characteristics of the area. The
hydraulic conductivity and recharge values from the pilot points calibration
ranged from 1 to 75 m/d and 5.89 × 10-6 m3/d to1.23 × 10-4 m3/d. The calculations of
the model showed that the average recharge rate amounts 0.40l/s/km2 or 12.60 mm/year. The estimated recharge suggests a high groundwater potential
for the area. This is the first time that such a study has been carried out in
the area, and it will serve as an important basis for future groundwater
management and simulation of transient groundwater flow modeling in Akwa Ibom
State.