Seawater intrusion in the Salalah plain aquifer,Oman |
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Authors: | M I Shammas G Jacks |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Land and Water Resources Engineering, The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden |
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Abstract: | Salalah is situated on a fresh water aquifer that is replenished during the annual monsoon season. The aquifer is the only
source of water in Salalah city. The rainfall and mist precipitation in the Jabal AlQara recharges the plain with significant
renewable fresh groundwater that has allowed agricultural and industrial development to occur. In Salalah city where groundwater
has been used extensively since the early 1980s for agricultural, industrial and municipal purposes, the groundwater has been
withdrawn from the aquifer more rapidly than it can be replenished by natural recharge. The heavy withdrawal of large quantities
of the groundwater from the aquifer has led to the intrusion of seawater. Agricultural activities utilize over 70% of the
groundwater. For the study of the saltwater intrusion, the area has been divided into four strips, A, B, C and D, on the basis
of land-use in the area. Water samples were collected from 18 water wells. Chemical analysis of major ions and pollution parameters
in the groundwater was carried out and compared to the previous observed values. The electrical conductivity and chloride
concentrations were highest in the agricultural and residential strips and Garziz grass farm. Before 1992 the aquifer was
in a steady state, but presently (2005) the groundwater quality in most of the agricultural and residential strips does not
meet drinking water standards. In addition, model simulations were developed with the computer code MODFLOW and MT3DMS for
solute transport to determine the movement of the freshwater/saltwater interface. The study proposes the protection of the
groundwater in Salalah plain aquifer from further encroachment by artificial recharge with reclaimed water, preferably along
the Salalah coastal agricultural strip. This scheme can also be applied to other regions with similar conditions. |
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Keywords: | Saltwater intrusion Over-pumping Septic tanks Reclaimed water and artificial recharge Oman |
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