International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Science (IJAERS)
Vol-3, Issue-2 , Feb- 2016] ISSN: 2349-6495
Groundwater quality in eastern area of North Kordofan State, Sudan AM Ahmed1*, AK Abd El Aal2*, NA Abu el Bashar3 1
2
College of Engineering, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Al Azhar University, Assiut Branch 3 Rural Water Corporation, Khartoum, Sudan
Abstract—This study was carried out for investigation of the quality of ground water in the area that lies in the eastern part of North Kordofan State. The study depends on chemical analysis of water samples collected from 20 water wells, to investigate its suitability for humans, animals and for agricultural purposes, and compare it with the Sudanese and the world Health organization standards. The dominant rock type of the study area is the basement rocks, Nubian Sand Stones recent sediments and Um Ruwaba I. INTRODUCTION Water is a ubiquitous chemical substance that is composed of hydrogen and oxygen and is vital for all known forms of life (UNOSIA, 2005). In typical usage, water refers only to its liquid form or state, but the substance also has a solid state, ice, and a gaseous state, water vapor or steam. Water covers 71% of the Earth's surface (FAO, 1997a). On Earth, it is found mostly in oceans and other large water bodies, with 1.6% of water below ground in aquifers and 0.001% in the air as vapor, clouds (formed of solid and liquid water particles suspended in air), and precipitation. The oceans hold 97% of surface water, glaciers and polar ice caps 2.4%, and other land surface water, such as rivers, lakes and ponds 0.6%. A very small amount of the Earth's water is contained within biological bodies and manufactured products (UNEP, 2002). There are many water related diseases caused by water pollution, which includes those diseases spread by insects that breed or feed near contaminated water, such as malaria, and dengue fever. These diseases are not typically associated with lack of access to clean drinking water or sanitation services, and they are not included here in estimates of water-related deaths. It must be noted, however, that their spread is often facilitated by the construction of large-scale water systems that create conditions favorable to their hosts. (Peter H. Gleick 2002). Public water systems are required to deliver safe and reliable drinking water to their customers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If the water supply becomes contaminated, consumers can become seriously ill. Fortunately, public water systems take many steps to ensure that the public has www.ijaers.com
sedimentary rocks. The study concluded that most of the analyzed elements of the ground water at the south east of the study area, have high salinity which hinders the above mentioned usages, but the ground water in the south-west area of the study is suitable for different purposes and usages. Keywords—Groundwater, Hydrogeology, physical and chemical parameters, Um Ruwaba.
safe, reliable drinking water. One of the most important steps is to regularly test the water for coliform bacteria (http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/dw/Programs/coliform.htm). Location The studied area is located between longitudes 310 06.878 - 31º 59.349 and latitudes 12º 54.322 - 13º 29.263 in the North kordofan state, Sudan. The study area lies around Ashana Administrative Unit which comprises a number of villages in the eastern north kordofan state. Geology and Hydrogeology The geological structures of the study area vary with respect to groundwater condition due to variation in their lithology and rock type. The following hydro-geological units are present in the study area: Basement Complex, Paleozoic Sandstones (Nawa Formation), Nubian Sandstone Formation, Um Ruwaba Formation and Superficial Deposits. Figure 1 shows the geological map north Kordofan State where the study area lies in the eastern part. The sedimentary basins and sub-basins, which are encountered in the area, are separated in some parts by lowlying Basement rocks of the Precambrian era (Vail, 1990). The Basement rocks in the area are mainly metamorphic rocks of amphibolites that mostly retrograde to green schist faces Biotitic and granitic gneisses, that are megmatized in some parts, are very common. Batholithic granites are infrequently in the area such as Jebel kon. The older Basement rocks consist of gneisses, met sediments, metavolcanics and older granites. The gneisses are Page | 18