Geo-electrical investigation for characterizing the shallow Quaternary aquifer parameters and vulnerability to contamination: a case study from semi-arid Khanasser Valley region, Syria

Abstract

Schlumberger configuration was used to carry out 34 vertical electrical sounding (VES) measurements for estimating and characterizing the shallow Quaternary aquifer parameters and its vulnerability to surficial contamination in the region of Khanasser Valley, Northern Syria. The data of VES are interpreted by the curve matching technique (CMT) and WinResist software package to get one dimensional (1D) geoelectrical solution model for each study VES point. The electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), porosity (Ø%), the overburden protective capacity (OPC), and the corrosion (Corr) of the study aquifer were revealed by parameters of longitudinal conductance and transverse resistance of Dar-Zarrouk results. The protective capacity for the shallow Quaternary aquifer is classified as 56% poor, indicating high vulnerability to contamination, 5.9% weak, 14.7% moderate, 20.6% good, and 2.9% excellent. The ratings of corrosivity for the study region are classified as 26.5% slightly corrosive (SC), 61.8% moderately corrosive (MC), 5.9% very strongly corrosive (VSC), and 5.9% practically noncorrosive (PNC). HIGHLIGHTS VES data are 1D interpreted to get the optimum model for each study VES point.; Longitudinal conductance and transverse resistance are used to evaluate EC, TDS, Ø%, OPC, and Corr of the study aquifer.; 56% of the study area has a high vulnerability to contamination, 5.9% weak, 14.7% moderate, 20.6% good, and 2.9% excellent.;

Keywords

• anisotropy
• khanasser valley
• overburden protective capacity
• semi-arid regions
• syria
• ves measurements