Discussion Committee:
Dr. Mohammad N. Almasri/supervisor
Dr. Sameer M. Shadeed/co-supervisor
Dr. Fathi Anayah /External Examiner
Dr. Anan Jayyousi /Internal Examiner
Supervisors:
Dr. Mohammad N. Almasri/supervisor
Dr. Sameer M. Shadeed/co-supervisor
Authors:
Atta MohyiEddin Hamdan Abboushi
Abstract:
List of Abbreviations
Symbol The meaning
OTIS One-Dimensional Transport with Inflow and Storage
WESI Water and Environmental Studies Institute
UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education/ Netherlands
UWIRA Impact of Untreated Wastewater on Natural Water Bodies: Integrated Risk Assessment
UPaRF UNESCO-IHE Partnership Research Fund
PWA Palestinian Water Authority
MCM Million cubic meters
P Average annual precipitation
PET Average annual potential evapotranspiration
KL Longitudinal dispersion coefficient
V Stream velocity
Sm Mass flux per unit volume
EXACT Executive Action Team
K Typical hydraulic conductivity
i Hydraulic gradient
ne Effective porosity
L Distance between the wadi and the well under study
q Darcy flux
B Aquifer thickness
Q Well pumping rate
XL The location of stagnation point
YL Maximum width of well’s capture zone
UC-T Upper Cretaceous – Tertiary
N-E North – Eastern
PL Quaternary – Pleistocene
NO3- Nitrate
Cl- Chloride
MCL Maximum contamination level
M Mass of tracer injected
F The area under the tracer concentration curve
MP Monitoring point
IP Injection point
c Tracer concentration
I Integer
C Character
D Double precision
Conc. Concentration
Min. Minute
PPb Part per billion
List of Tables
Table # Description Page
1 The hydrological classification of Faria catchment 16
2 The layers existed above the saturated zone in Faria catchment 21
3 General characteristics of the wells under study 42
4 Different delay times estimated between the rainfall peak time and the change in the water table peak time for the well 18/18/027 46
5 Typical features of various conductance categories for wadi-aquifer systems 47
6 Parameters used in determining of the capture zone of well 18/18/027 49
7 Artificial tracer types 66
8 The pros and cons of the environmental and artificial tracers 67
9 Model application features of case study 73
10 Experiment-relevant information, data, and calculations for each monitoring point at each section 83
11 The slope of each section in the selected reach 86
List of Figures
Figure # Description Page
1 The distribution of the wells and springs along the main wadi in the Faria catchment 5
2 Research methodology 7
3 Location map of Faria catchment 10
4 Topography of Faria catchment 10
5 Location of Faria catchment with reference to the eastern aquifer basin 12
6 Water resources in Faria catchment 12
7 The agricultural land surrounding the main wadi of Faria at An-Nasariah area upstream the agricultural wells in the region 13
8 Percentages of landuse classes in Faria catchment 14
9 landuse map in Faria catchment 14
10 (a) All potential pollution sources to a selected reach located at An-Nasariyah area in Faria catchment 17
10 (b) The wadi segment at An-Nasariah area that describes the pollutants contributing to the wadi upstream the agricultural wells in the region 18
11 Asection in the main wadi of Faria at An-Nasariah area in summer 19
12 A segment in the main wadi of Faria at An-Nasariah area in winter 19
13 Geologic map of Faria catchment 20
14 Types of losing wadis 24
15 Types of aquifers and confining beds 26
16 Forms of interactions between surface water and groundwater 28
17 Wadi-aquifer interactions in the two directions 29
18 Wadi-aquifer interaction in arid and semi-arid regions 29
19 Turbulent diffusion of tracer particles in uniform flow 31
20 Al-Badan flood on the 9th of February 2006 43
21 The locations of the wells under consideration and Al-Badan flume at Jiser Al-Malaqi 43
22 Change in water table-rainfall relationship of well 18/18/027 (February, 2006) 44
23 Change in water table-rainfall relationship of well 18/18/027 (December, 2005) 45
24 Change in water table-rainfall relationship of well 18/18/027 (January, 2006) 45
25 Change in water table-rainfall relationship of well 18/18/027 (March, 2006) 46
26 A pictorial sketch of the interaction processes between the wadi and the upper aquifer and the arrival of contaminants to the well’s capture zone 49
27 Change in wadi flow-water table relationship of well 18/18/027 (February, 2006) 50
28 The depth to water table for well 18/18/027 and the depth of sediment in the reach under study 51
29 Variation in the fecal coliform bacteria concentration found in groundwater from well 18/18/034 with time and the trend of pollution 53
30 Variation in the nitrate concentration found in groundwater from well 18/18/034 with time and the trend of contamination 54
31 Variation in the chloride concentration found in groundwater from well 18/18/034 with time and the trend of contamination 54
32 A simple sketch that shows the different pollutants that may reach the upper aquifer 56
33 Calibration the fluorometer device and analyzing the samples 59
34 General scheme of the tracer field experiment 60
35 The selected reach along the main wadi at An-Nasariah area in Faria catchment to conduct a tracer field experiment 61
36 A satellite image that shows the selected reach 62
37 A longitudinal profile of the selected reach of the main wadi at An-Nasariah area in Faria catchment 63
38 Photo and cross-section of MP1 64
39 Photo and cross-section of MP2 64
40 Photo and cross-section of MP3 64
41 Photo and cross-section of MP4 65
42 Dissolving and mixing of uranine solution 69
43 Pouring of uranine solution into the wadi 70
44 Sampling process at section 4 (600 m from the injection point) 70
45 The wadi outlook before the injection process 71
46 The wadi outlook after the injection process 71
47 The observed concentration curve for the first monitoring point 76
48 The observed concentration curve for the first monitoring point after the manual extension 77
49 The observed concentration curve for the second monitoring point 77
50 The observed and simulated concentration curves for the second monitoring point 78
51 The observed concentration curve for the third monitoring point 79
52 The observed and simulated concentration curves for the third monitoring point 80
53 The observed concentration curve for the fourth monitoring point 80
54 The observed and simulated concentration curves for the fourth monitoring point 81
55 All concentration curves at the different monitoring points 82
A Preliminary Investigation of Wadi-Aquifer Interaction in Semi-Arid Regions: the Case of Faria Catchment, Palestine
By
Atta MohyiEddin Hamdan Abboushi
Supervisors
Dr. Mohammad N. Almasri
Dr. Sameer M. Shadeed
Abstract
This thesis aims to investigate the potential existence of wadi-aquifer interaction in the semi-arid Faria catchment. Faria catchment, located in the northeastern part of the West Bank is considered as one of the most important catchments in the region due to the intense agricultural activities.
Surface runoff in the catchment consists mainly from springs, runoff generated from winter storms, untreated wastewater effluent from the eastern part of Nablus City and Al-Faria Refugee Camp, and the return flow from the adjacent agricultural land. The groundwater in the catchment is the only water source for the agricultural and domestic uses. As such, wadi-aquifer interaction would be an important issue to investigate when considering the importance of groundwater in the catchment.
Many analysis methods were considered to highlight the potential existence of wadi-aquifer interaction. Analysis of the variability of water table elevation with both the variability of rainfall and wadi flows was carried out. In addition, the quality of groundwater was assessed through chemical and microbiological tests.Also,a tracer field experiment was implemented to quantify the proposed interaction.
The analyses show that the water table level in a selected groundwater well next to the main wadi significantly changed and spiked as a result of increasing rainfall and corresponding runoff in the wadi. This in turn provides a good evidence that the hydrogeology allows wadi-aquifer interaction to take place in the catchment. Also, the quantitative analyses revealed that the delay time in the area was relatively small and was estimated at 10 hours. This value of delay time also reflected in the value of the horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the formations at the vicinity of the well under consideration, which was calculated as 89 m/d using Darcy flux equation. And so, these formations have high conductance to transmit the water from the wadi to the aquifer.
Whereas, the quality analyses show that some chemical and microbial pollutants were found in the sampled well. This can be mainly attributed to untreated wastewater flows in the wadi, which provide another potential evidence of wadi-aquifer interaction in the catchment. As well as the trends of contaminations in the different seasons were plotted. They showed that the pollutants concentrations had higher trends in summer than in winter.
The tracer field experiment was conducted at An-Nasariah area in the middle part of Faria catchment using Uranine as a conservative tracer material. A representative reach of 600 m was chosen, and divided into four equally long distances. A concentration curve was plotted at each section (monitoring point) with the help of OTIS, a solute transport model for streams and rivers. Then, each concentration curve was converted to an average value of flowrate in the section. Finally, each two successive flowrates were subtracted to quantify the interaction.
The tracer field experiment proved that transmission losses took place and infiltrated through the wadi bed (they became a potential recharge to groundwater). The percent loss in the flowrates values in the different sections ranged from 4.8% to 68.3%. As well as the hot spot area along the selected reach was located by determining the section, which has the largest loss in the flowrates between its monitoring points.