Groundwater beneath the urban area of Khan Younis City,southern Gaza Strip (Palestine): hydrochemistry and water quality

Arabian Journal of Geosciences - This paper presents the results of a groundwater hydrochemical assessment in the urban area of Khan Younis City in the southern Gaza Strip by measuring its...     

The deuterium and oxygen-18 isotopic composition of the groundwater in Khan Younis City,southern Gaza Strip (Palestine)

The environmental isotopes such as deuterium and oxygen-18 and the deuterium excess values have been used to assess groundwater recharge sources and their dynamics in Khan Younis City in the Gaza Strip in Palestine. Three isotopic lines for the relationship between δ²H and δ¹⁸O were used in the assessment. These lines are the global meteoric water line, the local meteoric water line and the groundwater evaporation line. The δ²H, δ¹⁸O and D-excess values indicate that deuterium and oxygen-18 isotopes originated in the groundwater from groundwater mixing with rainfall and other water sources; the groundwater in the area recharged from rainfall from a distant source that came from the Mediterranean Sea and from other sources such as wastewater, irrigation return flow and saline water.     

Vulnerability assessment for the Gaza Strip, Palestine using DRASTIC

The main usefulness of groundwater vulnerability assessment maps is their ability to be an effective preliminary tool for planning, policy, and operational levels of decision-making. DRASTIC is one such assessment method. The DRASTIC index is made up of a calculated sum of products rating and weights for seven hydrogeological parameters that contribute to aquifer vulnerability. With the help of GIS, and based on the available data, maps of DRASTIC parameters were prepared for the Gaza Strip area in a case study. Each map was given a proper rate and a special weight factor developed. The final vulnerability map was obtained as a summation of the seven maps after multiplying each one with the appropriate weight. The vulnerability map was checked against the actual pollution potential in the area and nitrate concentration. The obtained vulnerability map is strongly correlated to known pollution values in the area.     

Geological structure of the coastal aquifer in the southern part of the Gaza Strip,Palestine

The current study introduces the geological subsurface cross-sections in the southern part of the Gaza Strip to show the structure of the aquifer in the area. The cross-sections give evidence of four subaquifers of the coastal aquifer in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. These cross-sections give the natural reasons for the deterioration of the groundwater in the study area. The results show presence of clay lenses that prevent the replenishment processes of the aquifer of fresh water from the rainfall and returns flow from agricultural activities. Lithological formation was evident as one of the natural causes which accelerate destroying process of the coastal aquifer. The results also show that the structure of the aquifer causes the increase of the groundwater salinity in the Gaza Strip. The cross-sections had shown the shortage of storage capacity of high quantities of fresh water in the coastal aquifer in these areas. The role of lithological formation was evident as one of the natural causes to accelerate the process of destroying the coastal aquifer.     

Simulation of seawater intrusion into the Khan Yunis area of the Gaza Strip coastal aquifer

 The Gaza Strip coastal aquifer is under severe hydrological stress due to over-exploitation. Excessive pumping during the past decades in the Gaza region has caused a significant lowering of groundwater levels, altering in some regions the normal transport of salts into the sea and reversing the gradient of groundwater flow. The sharp increase in chloride concentrations in groundwater indicates intrusion of seawater and/or brines from the western part of the aquifer near the sea. Simulations of salt-water intrusion were carried out using a two-dimensional density-dependent flow and transport model SUTRA (Voss 1984). This model was applied to the Khan Yunis section of the Gaza Strip aquifer. Simulations were done under an assumption that pumping rates increase according to the rate of population growth, or about 3.8% a year. Model parameters were estimated using available field observations. Numerical simulations show that the rate of seawater intrusion during 1997–2006 is expected to be 20–45 m/yr. The results lead to a better understanding of aquifer salinization due to seawater intrusion and give some estimate of the rate of deterioration of groundwater. Received, September 1997 Revised, January 1998, July 1998 Accepted, August 1998     

Using CRD method for quantification of groundwater recharge in the Gaza Strip, Palestine

Rainfall is the main source of groundwater recharge in the Gaza Strip area in Palestine. The area is located in the semi-arid zone and there is no source of recharge other than rainfall. Estimation of groundwater recharge from rainfall is not an easy task since it depends on many uncertain parameters. The cumulative rainfall departure (CRD) method, which depends on the water balance principle, was used in this study to estimate the net groundwater recharge from rainfall. This method does not require much data as is the case with other classical recharge estimation methods. The CRD method was carried out using optimisation approach to minimise the root mean square error (RMSE) between the measured and the simulated groundwater head. The results of this method were compared with the results of other recharge estimation methods from literature. It was found that the results of the CRD method are very close to the results of the other methods, but with less data requirements and greater ease of application. Based on the CRD method, the annual amount of groundwater recharge from rainfall in the Gaza Strip is about 43 million m³. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Alternatives to tap water: a case study of the Gaza Strip, Palestine

Gaza Strip is a highly populated, small area in which the groundwater is the main water source. During the last few decades, groundwater quality has deteriorated to a limit that the municipal tap water became brackish and unsuitable for human consumption in most parts of the strip. To overcome this serious situation, several attempts were made to replace the tap water or to improve its quality by water desalination applying the reverse osmosis (RO) technology, bottled water, importing water, and storm water harvesting. Water desalination, which is widely applied in the strip, has environmental and health risks. Brine water resulting from the RO systems has adverse environmental effects, whereas the produced fresh water with very low chemical concentrations may have harmful effects on human health. Therefore, introducing international water quality standards to delineate the harmless minimum limits is necessary. Storm water harvesting can provide a partial solution for the water problems in the strip.     

Groundwater of the Gaza Strip: is it drinkable?

Groundwater from 73 municipal and 21 private wells were analyzed for Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zn over a 3 year monitoring program in the Gaza Strip. The results show that the trace elements of the groundwater of the Gaza Strip do not generally pose any health or environmental hazard. In spite of that, only 10% of the municipal wells meet the WHO standards. Cl^-, NO ₃ ⁻ and F^- concentrations exceeded 2–9 times the WHO standards in 90% of the wells tested with maximum concentrations of 3,000, 450 and 1.6 mg/l, respectively. Several private wells should not be used for drinking purposes as the average of Zn, Cd, Pb, Fe and As was 58, 30, 270, 468 and 10 μg/l, respectively. A severe water dilemma will appear in the near future from both quality and quantity aspects.     

Spatial assessment and redesign of a groundwater quality monitoring network using entropy theory, Gaza Strip, Palestine

Using entropy theory, a methodology was developed for the evaluation and redesign of groundwater quality monitoring wells in the Gaza Strip in Palestine. Essential to the methodology is the development of a Transinformation Model (TM) which yields the amount of information transfer and the dependency between the wells as a function of distance. The TM parameters, such as the minimum transinformation and the range, were employed for evaluating the network which revealed that most of the distances between wells were less than the range. It also indicated that a high percentage of redundant information existed in the network. Therefore, the network was reduced by superimposing a square pattern over the monitored area and selecting one well per square block in a stratified pattern. The methodology was tested using the chloride data collected from 1972–2000 from 417 groundwater quality monitoring wells in the Gaza Strip. The number of the groundwater quality monitoring wells in the Gaza Strip was reduced by 53%, while there was 26% redundant information based on the minimum existing distance between wells. This methodology is meant to help monitor the groundwater quality (salinity) in the Gaza Strip.     

Groundwater resources assessment for irrigable agricultural lands in the Wadi Araba area, southern Jordan

The main target of this research paper was to the hydrogeological assessment of the groundwater resources to irrigate 600 ha of irrigable agricultural lands, distributed along the Dead Sea–Aqaba Highway in Umm, Methla, Wadi Musa, Qa’ Saideen and Rahma, southern Jordan. Therefore, a comprehensive groundwater study was commenced by drilling eight new wells which can be used to supply irrigable areas with the existing groundwater that would be enriched by the yield of three proposed recharge dams on Wadi Musa, Wadi Abu-Burqa, and Wadi Rahma. The evaluation of the pumping test data of the drilled was carried out using the standard methods of pumping test interpretation. This was based on the available water table measurements at well locations and knowledge of water flow in the general. The sustainable yield of each well was calculated based on the pumping test parameters. The obtained results indicate that pumping out of Beer Mathkor wells should not exceed 1,100 m³/day in the case of continuous pumping and 8,700 m³/day in the case of intermittent pumping. Since the water table did not significantly change with small changes in pumping (it took eightfolds of magnitude increase in pumping from approximately 1,100 to 8,700 m³/day to show a significant drop in the water table equivalent to about 5.5 MCM per year from the aquifer.     

Evaluation and numerical modeling of seawater intrusion in the Gaza aquifer (Palestine)

A numerical assessment of seawater intrusion in Gaza, Palestine, has been achieved applying a 3-D variable density groundwater flow model. A two-stage finite difference simulation algorithm was used in steady state and transient models. SEAWAT computer code was used for simulating the spatial and temporal evolution of hydraulic heads and solute concentrations of groundwater. A regular finite difference grid with a 400 m² cell in the horizontal plane, in addition to a 12-layer model were chosen. The model has been calibrated under steady state and transient conditions. Simulation results indicate that the proposed schemes successfully simulate the intrusion mechanism. Two pumpage schemes were designed to use the calibrated model for prediction of future changes in water levels and solute concentrations in the groundwater for a planning period of 17 years. The results show that seawater intrusion would worsen in the aquifer if the current rates of groundwater pumpage continue. The alternative, to eliminate pumpage in the intruded area, to moderate pumpage rates from water supply wells far from the seashore and to increase the aquifer replenishment by encouraging the implementation of suitable solutions like artificial recharge, may limit significantly seawater intrusion and reduce the current rate of decline of the water levels.     

A multisource approach for coastal mapping purposes: Limeni bay,Mani and surrounding area,southern Greece

A multipurpose engineering geological map of a natural heritage site including inland and offshore areas has been compiled to provide information on many aspects for land use optimization, sustainable development and environmental protection. The mapping approach was based on data provided by conventional onland field works, marine remote sensing survey and aerial photo interpretation. These data sources were integrated into a GIS platform allowing reliable mapping solutions. The geological formations encountered were grouped into individual geotechnical units according to uniformity in lithological character, while the seabed sub-bottom structure was also obtained through several seafloor thematic map compilation. Shoreline variability and evolution for a long time period (1945–2008) were also investigated and mapped. The synergistic use of the results deducted from those disciplinary surveys is finally presented in a single engineering geological map covering the onshore and offshore area.     

吉林南部辉南-靖宇地区岩石圈地幔氧化-还原状态及研究意义

吉林省南部辉南-靖宇地区第四纪碱性玄武岩中的地幔包体主要为尖晶石相二辉橄榄岩和方辉橄榄岩。二辉橄榄岩和方辉橄榄岩的平衡温度分别为770~1000℃和850~1025℃,对应的氧逸度 (f_O2)值分别为FMQ -0.70至+0.34 (均值为FMQ -0.06) 和FMQ -0.46至+0.05 (均值为FMQ -0.15),它们与深海橄榄岩(abyssal peridotites)以及软流圈地幔的f_O2相似。橄榄岩的f_O2值,连同其全岩化学成分(如Mg^#、Al₂O₃、CaO、Ni、Co和Cr)和矿物化学成分(如橄榄石的Fo、尖晶石的Cr^#和Mg^#,以及辉石的Mg^#)特征,表明辉南-靖宇地区龙岗火山群下面的岩石圈地幔很可能是在晚中生代以来,伴随着华北克拉通和扬子板块的碰撞以及来自东侧太平洋板块和北侧蒙古-额霍次克(Mongolo-Okhotsk)板块分别向西和向南的俯冲叠加,原来的古老岩石圈失衡、塌陷(拆沉？),取而代之的深部软流圈底辟、上涌,又经历了低度部分熔融的产物。     

Slope movements induced by rainfalls damaging an urban area: the Catanzaro case study (Calabria, southern Italy)

Calabria is one of the Italian regions mostly affected by mass movements. The case study of a densely populated neighborhood (Ianò) located in the central-western sector of Calabria is presented. The several landslides triggered in February 2010 caused heavy damages to the built area, infrastructures and productions of this neighborhood, and increased the risk for the inhabitants. The results obtained through field surveys, photo interpretation, analyses of rainfall data and of the urban fabric evolution, historical survey on the reports of the damages caused by landslides, have enabled to formulate hypotheses on the potential causes that triggered landslide events and produced severe consequences on the area. These results have revealed that almost all landslides of February 2010 are partial reactivations of pre-existing landslide deposits. Moreover, the analyses have indicated a critical role of cumulative rainfalls over an interval of 15 days. However, the severe damage framework is explained through an unplanned urbanization which took place across the years on an area characterized by a high level of instability per se. Some buildings have been erected in proximity of or within pre-existing landslide scarps; in other cases, buildings have been constructed even inside the landslide bodies.     

Groundwater vulnerability assessment of the Cork Harbour area,SW Ireland

In the Cork Harbour area of SW Ireland, high yield karst and intergranular gravel aquifers are extremely vulnerable to pollution from a variety of sources, mainly due to the limited protection afforded by the thin cover of low permeability glacial and alluvial overburden. The main potential sources of pollution are due to rapid urbanisation of the Cork city area and its attendant infrastructure, and increased industrialisation in the area, with numerous new industries, particularly pharmaceutical and chemical industries, located around Cork Harbour. Other potential sources of pollution are a number of landfills in the area and an oil refinery near the mouth of Cork Harbour. Traditional agricultural sources of pollution also exist, due to increased use of chemical fertilisers. Finally, the susceptibility to saline intrusion of the karst and gravel aquifers around Cork Harbour is high due to the long coastline of the harbour and the low-lying nature of the karst synclines with their superimposed buried valleys.     

Integrating an artificial intelligence approach with k-means clustering to model groundwater salinity: the case of Gaza coastal aquifer (Palestine)

Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques have increasingly become efficient alternative modeling tools in the water resources field, particularly when the modeled process is influenced by complex and interrelated variables. In this study, two AI techniques—artificial neural networks (ANNs) and support vector machine (SVM)—were employed to achieve deeper understanding of the salinization process (represented by chloride concentration) in complex coastal aquifers influenced by various salinity sources. Both models were trained using 11 years of groundwater quality data from 22 municipal wells in Khan Younis Governorate, Gaza, Palestine. Both techniques showed satisfactory prediction performance, where the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and correlation coefficient (R) for the test data set were, respectively, about 4.5 and 99.8% for the ANNs model, and 4.6 and 99.7% for SVM model. The performances of the developed models were further noticeably improved through preprocessing the wells data set using a k-means clustering method, then conducting AI techniques separately for each cluster. The developed models with clustered data were associated with higher performance, easiness and simplicity. They can be employed as an analytical tool to investigate the influence of input variables on coastal aquifer salinity, which is of great importance for understanding salinization processes, leading to more effective water-resources-related planning and decision making.     

Groundwater quality degradation of urban areas (case study: Tehran city,Iran)

Groundwater quality of Tehran city is considered in this study. Nine sampling stations were selected, and composite sampling campaign was performed in summer 2012. Groundwater sampled from northern stations appeared to have acceptable characteristics for agricultural and drinking uses. The southern station samples did not meet the required guidelines. Concentration of SO₄ ^2?, Na⁺ and Cl^? obey a sharp ascending trend southwards. Accordingly, the electrical conductivity of the last station at the very southern areas is more than fifteen times greater than that of the first northern station. Tehran city is located in a semi-arid climate and experiences long hot summers. High rates of evapo-transpiration within urban green spaces and agricultural lands facilitate the salinization phenomenon in root zones. As a result, excess irrigation water eases the consequent percolation into aquifers. Furthermore, saline water intrusion from salt marshes located down south of the city is an expected consequence of wells overpumping. Such case is especially remarkable in hot seasons when an increased urban water demand is observed. Remarkable sulfate concentrations in saline water are mainly justified by percolation of sulfate containing fertilizers which are broadly used by local farmers in an uncontrolled manner. Surface run-offs and municipal wastewater leakage may also trigger the salinization process.