Geophysical Exploration of Shallow Groundwater Aquifers in Arid Regions: A Case Study of Siwa Oasis,Egypt

Geophysical and geological studies play a fundamental role in the strategic and sustainable utilization of natural resources, especially that of fossil groundwater, in arid regions. The geophysical exploration of shallow groundwater aquifers is common in arid regions. In this work, a feasibility study of future development plans in the Siwa Oasis, Egypt, was carried out. A land electric resistivity survey was conducted, and approximately 14 vertical electric soundings were measured covering the Siwa Oasis, northwestern desert, Egypt. A detailed surface geology study was also conducted to study the underground water aquifer. Digital filters were applied to the reduced to pole-available magnetic data covering the area. The normalized source strength transformation and tilt depth were calculated and applied to delineate the possible structures that may control the shallow and deep aquifers in the area. The integrated interpretation showed the presence of four main geoelectric layers forming the shallow section of the Siwa Oasis down to 220 m. These layers varied in their resistivity and rock constituents from very low (0.2 Ω m) to very high (6200 Ω m) values. The calculated hydraulic parameters showed that the uppermost central area and the eastern area were the most promising areas for the required water development. Finally, based on the integrated interpretation and the estimated shallow aquifer potentiality, a land use map for the Siwa Oasis was produced to assist future strategic development of the region.