TITLE:
Subsurface Characterization for Groundwater Management nearby the Unfinished Obelisk Archeological Site, Aswan Governorate, Egypt
AUTHORS:
Abdulaziz M. Abdulaziz
KEYWORDS:
Groundwater Management, Resistivity Imaging, Flow Regimes, Fractured Granite Aquitard, Unfinished Obelisk, Aswan
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Geology,
Vol.9 No.11,
October
23,
2019
ABSTRACT: Recently, the area located within the Unfinished Obelisk (UO) archeological site showed numerous seepages and accumulations of groundwater in a small pond located a few meters from the Unfinished Obelisk. The Supreme Council of Antiques sponsored integrated geological, geophysical, and hydrogeological studies to identify the possible sources of groundwater and the optimum technique to manage the groundwater flow system that may jeopardize this invaluable sculpture. The geological units and the prevailing structure have been studied in detail using Landsat imagery and field work over two consecutive seasons. The field studies indicated the development of several fault/joint systems oriented mainly ENE-WSW with clear indications of mineralization and intensive weathering effects along these fabrics. Several resistivity (vertical seismic profile and resistivity imaging) measurements extending down to at least 20 m depth and Radar imaging down to 10 m depth are gathered to investigate the extension of outcrop units and the dominant structures prevailing the near subsurface. Geophysical data indicated the development of at least three hydrostratigraphic units arranged from top to bottom as valley fill, fractured/weathered granite, and slightly fractured to massive granitic unit. In addition, the major faults mapped by resistivity images helped to locate several observation wells and a production well to test the transmissivity across the groundwater system. The results of a pumping test indicated very low aquifer conductivity and the development of an aquitard with preferential vertical flow at the study area. This enforces a local interference through a shallow underground drainage system with sump and pump to maintain low groundwater level at the UO-archeological site.