Estimating Groundwater Flow Velocity in Shallow Volcanic Aquifers of the Ethiopian Highlands Using a Geospatial Technique

Hassen Shube (), Seifu Kebede, Tilahun Azagegn, Dessie Nedaw, Muhammed Haji and Shankar Karuppannan
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Hassen Shube: School of Earth Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1176, Ethiopia
Seifu Kebede: School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Center for Water Resources Research, University of KwaZulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa
Tilahun Azagegn: School of Earth Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1176, Ethiopia
Dessie Nedaw: School of Earth Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1176, Ethiopia
Muhammed Haji: Department of Applied Geology, School of Applied Nartural Sciences, Adama Science and Technology University, Adama P.O. Box 1888, Ethiopia
Shankar Karuppannan: Department of Applied Geology, School of Applied Nartural Sciences, Adama Science and Technology University, Adama P.O. Box 1888, Ethiopia

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 19, 1-21

Abstract: The shallow volcanic aquifer is the major rural water supply source in the Ethiopian highlands. A significant number of hand pump wells in these aquifers experience a rapid decline in yield and poor performance within a short period of time after construction. Hence, reliable estimation of groundwater flow velocity is important to understand groundwater flow dynamics, aquifer responses to stresses and to optimize the sustainable management of groundwater resources. Here, we propose the geospatial technique using four essential input raster maps (groundwater elevation head, transmissivity, effective porosity and saturated thickness) to investigate groundwater flow velocity magnitude and direction in the shallow volcanic aquifers of the Ethiopian highlands. The results indicated that the high groundwater flow velocity in the Mecha site, ranging up to 47 m/day, was observed in the fractured scoraceous basalts. The Ejere site showed groundwater flow velocity not exceeding 7 m/day in the fractured basaltic aquifer and alluvial deposits. In the Sodo site, the groundwater flow velocity was observed to exceed 22 m/day in the fractured basaltic and rhyolitic aquifers affected by geological structures. The Abeshege site has a higher groundwater flow velocity of up to 195 m/day in the highly weathered and fractured basaltic aquifer. In all study sites, aquifers with less fractured basalt, trachyte, rhyolite, welded pyroclastic, and lacustrine deposits exhibited lower groundwater flow velocity values. The groundwater flow velocity directions in all study sites are similar to the groundwater elevation head, which signifies the local and regional groundwater flow directions. This work can be helpful in shallow groundwater resource development and management for rural water supply.

Keywords: groundwater flow velocity; geospatial technique; groundwater tools; rural water supply; shallow aquifer; Ethiopia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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