Groundwater

hamees tubleh's picture

Modeling the Eocene Aquifer in Northern West Bank

Journal Title, Volume, Page: 
An-Najah University Journal for Research - Natural Sciences - Volume 20, Issue 1, 2006
Year of Publication: 
2006
Authors: 
Hamees Tubeileh
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, An-Najah National University, Nablus. Palestine
Current Affiliation: 
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, An-Najah National University, Nablus. Palestine
Hafez Shaheen
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, An-Najah National University, Nablus. Palestine
Amjad Aliewi
University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Newcastle, United Kingdom
Preferred Abstract (Original): 

The Eocene aquifer is one of the major groundwater aquifers in Palestine. It is located in the northeastern part of the West Bank covering areas of both Jenin and Nablus districts. The development of the groundwater within the Eocene aquifer is very essential for the Palestinian water supply. This paper simulates for groundwater flow in the Eocene aquifer using MODFLOW as a strong available groundwater model. The groundwater budget, flow computation, and flow path-lines were estimated and calibrated. Groundwater balance has been evaluated. The Modeling results show that a minimum initial level of 340 m above sea level should be applied to model the hydraulics of the aquifer correctly. The recharge and hydraulic conductivity are the most sensitive model parameters. The hydraulic conductivity in some areas has proved to be double than assumed by other literatures. More reasonable recharge coefficients in comparison to other literatures have been obtained. Groundwater balance indicated that the water budget of the Eocene aquifer totals about 72 MCM/yr. The modeling has indicated reasonable matching between the observed and modeled groundwater levels and spring flows. The flow direction within the aquifer is from the south to north and northeast. The Faria spring system located to the southeast is the major sink within the aquifer. It attracts most of the particle tracking lines due to its high discharge rates. It is recommended to monitor the existing wells and springs permanently. It is also recommended to assess the effect of the faults and fractures on the hydraulic conductivity.

3002's picture

Impacts of Irrigation With Water Containing Heavy Metals on Soil And Groundwater – a Simulation Study

Journal Title, Volume, Page: 
Water. Air and Soil Polution 146:141-152. Kluwer Academic Publishers
Year of Publication: 
2003
Authors: 
Mohammed M. Al-Subu
An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Marwan Haddad
An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Current Affiliation: 
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Numan Mizyed
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Preferred Abstract (Original): 

 This research work intended to study the impacts of irrigation water containing various levels of copper, lead, and zinc on adsorption capacity of soil packed in 4[1][1] plastic columns and obtained from two locations around the city of Nablus: Salem (A) and Deir Sharaf (B). Results of simulation experiments showed an increase in the copper, lead, and zinc concentrations in soil and in leachate with increasing the amount of metal in irrigation water. Copper, lead, and zinc concentrations increased also with soil depth and duration of application. The results also indicate that the self purification of both soils was highly affected by physical factors, i.e. the intermittent application of irrigation water to the soils in the columns caused soil wetting and drying cycles which resulted in the formation of cracks in shrinked soils specially in the top half of the columns. Crack formation is common in such clay soils due to the climatic conditions (Mediterranean type: dry summers and wet winters) and type of clay minerals in the soil. Thus, short circuiting of water through cracks results in moving contaminants fast and deep in the soil profile.

shaheen's picture

Modeling the Eocene Aquifer in Northern West Bank

Journal Title, Volume, Page: 
An-Najah University Journal for Research - Natural Sciences - Volume 20, Issue 1, 2006
Year of Publication: 
2006
Authors: 
Hamees Tubeileh
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, An-Najah National University, Nablus. Palestine
Amjad Aliewi
University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Newcastle, United Kingdom
Hafez Shaheen
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, An-Najah National University, Nablus. Palestine
Current Affiliation: 
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, An-Najah National University, Nablus. Palestine
Preferred Abstract (Original): 

The Eocene aquifer is one of the major groundwater aquifers in Palestine. It is located in the northeastern part of the West Bank covering areas of both Jenin and Nablus districts. The development of the groundwater within the Eocene aquifer is very essential for the Palestinian water supply. This paper simulates for groundwater flow in the Eocene aquifer using MODFLOW as a strong available groundwater model. The groundwater budget, flow computation, and flow path-lines were estimated and calibrated. Groundwater balance has been evaluated. The Modeling results show that a minimum initial level of 340 m above sea level should be applied to model the hydraulics of the aquifer correctly. The recharge and hydraulic conductivity are the most sensitive model parameters. The hydraulic conductivity in some areas has proved to be double than assumed by other literatures. More reasonable recharge coefficients in comparison to other literatures have been obtained. Groundwater balance indicated that the water budget of the Eocene aquifer totals about 72 MCM/yr. The modeling has indicated reasonable matching between the observed and modeled groundwater levels and spring flows. The flow direction within the aquifer is from the south to north and northeast. The Faria spring system located to the southeast is the major sink within the aquifer. It attracts most of the particle tracking lines due to its high discharge rates. It is recommended to monitor the existing wells and springs permanently. It is also recommended to assess the effect of the faults and fractures on the hydraulic conductivity. 

2052's picture

Impacts of Irrigation with Water Containing Heavy Metals on Soil and Groundwater – a Simulation Study

Journal Title, Volume, Page: 
Water, Air, and Soil Pollution June 2003, Volume 146, Issue 1-4, pp 141-152
Year of Publication: 
2003
Authors: 
Mohammed M. Al-Subu
An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Current Affiliation: 
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Marwan Haddad
An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Numan Mizyed
An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Inaya Mizyed
An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Preferred Abstract (Original): 

This research work intended to study the impacts of irrigation water containing various levels of copper, lead, and zinc on adsorption capacity of soil packed in 4′′ plastic columns and obtained from two locations around the city of Nablus: Salem (A) and Deir Sharaf (B). Results of simulation experiments showed an increase in the copper, lead, and zinc concentrations in soil and in leachate with increasing the amount of metal in irrigation water. Copper, lead, and zinc concentrations increased also with soil depth and duration of application. The results also indicate that the self purification of both soils was highly affected by physical factors, i.e. the intermittent application of irrigation water to the soils in the columns caused soil wetting and drying cycles whichresulted in the formation of cracks in shrinked soils specially in the top half of the columns. Crack formation is common in such clay soils due to the climatic conditions (Mediterranean type: dry summers and wet winters) and type of clay minerals in the soil. Thus, short circuiting of water through cracks results in moving contaminants fast and deep in the soil profile.

Mizyed's picture

Impacts of Irrigation With Water Containing Heavy Metals on Soil And Groundwater – a Simulation Study

Journal Title, Volume, Page: 
Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 146: 141–152, 2003
Year of Publication: 
2003
Authors: 
Mohammed M. Al-Subu
An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Marwan Haddad
Numan Mizyed
An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Current Affiliation: 
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Inaya Mizyed
An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Preferred Abstract (Original): 

 This research work intended to study the impacts of irrigation water containing various levels of copper, lead, and zinc on adsorption capacity of soil packed in 4[1][1] plastic columns and obtained from two locations around the city of Nablus: Salem (A) and Deir Sharaf (B). Results of simulation experiments showed an increase in the copper, lead, and zinc concentrations in soil and in leachate with increasing the amount of metal in irrigation water. Copper, lead, and zinc concentrations increased also with soil depth and duration of application. The results also indicate that the self purification of both soils was highly affected by physical factors, i.e. the intermittent application of irrigation water to the soils in the columns caused soil wetting and drying cycles which resulted in the formation of cracks in shrinked soils specially in the top half of the columns. Crack formation is common in such clay soils due to the climatic conditions (Mediterranean type: dry summers and wet winters) and type of clay minerals in the soil. Thus, short circuiting of water through cracks results in moving contaminants fast and deep in the soil profile.

m.almasri's picture

Nitrate Contamination Of Groundwater: A Conceptual Management Framework

Journal Title, Volume, Page: 
Environmental Impact Assessment Review 27 (2007) 220–242
Year of Publication: 
2007
Authors: 
Mohammad N. Almasri
Water and Environmental Studies Institute, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Current Affiliation: 
Department of Civil Engineering, An-Najah National University, Palestine
Preferred Abstract (Original): 
In many countries, public concern over the deterioration of groundwater quality from nitrate contamination has grown significantly in recent years. This concern has focused increasingly on anthropogenic sources as the potential cause of the problem. Evidence indicates that the nitrate (NO3) levels routinely exceed the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg/l NO3-N in many aquifer systems that underlie agriculture-dominated watersheds. Degradation of groundwater quality due to nitrate pollution along with the increasing demand for potable water has motivated the adoption of restoration actions of the contaminated aquifers. Restoration efforts have intensified the dire need for developing protection alternatives and management options such that the ultimate nitrate concentrations at the critical receptors are below the MCL. This paper presents a general conceptual framework for the management of groundwater contamination from nitrate. The management framework utilizes models of nitrate fate and transport in the unsaturated and saturated zones to simulate nitrate concentration at the critical receptors. To study the impact of different management options considering both environmental and economic aspects, the proposed framework incorporates a component of a multi-criteria decision analysis. To enhance spatiality in model development along with the management options, the utilization of a land use map is depicted for the allocation and computation of on-ground nitrogen loadings from the different sources.
m.almasri's picture

Modeling nitrate contamination of groundwater in agricultural watersheds

Journal Title, Volume, Page: 
Journal of Hydrology (2007) 343, 211– 229
Year of Publication: 
2007
Authors: 
Mohammad N. Almasri
Water and Environmental Studies Institute, An-Najah National University, P.O. Box 7, Nablus, Palestine
Current Affiliation: 
Department of Civil Engineering, An-Najah National University, Palestine
Jagath J. Kaluarachchi
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Utah Water Research Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84321-8200, USA
Preferred Abstract (Original): 
This paper presents and implements a framework for modeling the impact of land use practices and protection alternatives on nitrate pollution of groundwater in agricultural watersheds. The framework utilizes the national land cover database (NLCD) of the United State Geological Survey (USGS) grid and a geographic information system (GIS) to account for the spatial distribution of on-ground nitrogen sources and corresponding loadings. The framework employs a soil nitrogen dynamic model to estimate nitrate leaching to groundwater. These estimates were used in developing a groundwater nitrate fate and transport model. The framework considers both point and non-point sources of nitrogen across different land use classes. The methodology was applied for the Sumas–Blaine aquifer of Washington State, US, where heavy dairy industry and berry plantations are concentrated. Simulations were carried out using the developed framework to evaluate the overall impacts of current land use practices and the efficiency of proposed protection alternatives on nitrate pollution in the aquifer.
m.almasri's picture

Trends And Occurrences of Nitrate In The Groundwater of The West Bank, Palestine

Journal Title, Volume, Page: 
Applied Geography Volume 29, Issue 4, December 2009, Pages 588-601
Year of Publication: 
2009
Authors: 
Fathi M. Anayah
Utah Water Research Laboratory, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84321, USA
Mohammad N. Almasri
College of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, An-Najah National University, P.O. Box 7, Nablus, West Bank, Palestine
Current Affiliation: 
Department of Civil Engineering, An-Najah National University, Palestine
Preferred Abstract (Original): 

Groundwater is the major source of water to the Palestinians. Efficient management of this resource requires a good understanding of its status. This understanding necessitates a characterization of the quality of the utilizable volumes. This paper focuses on the assessment of nitrate concentrations in the aquifers of the West Bank, Palestine. A preliminary statistical analysis is carried out for the spatial and temporal distributions of the nitrate concentrations. GIS is utilized to facilitate the analysis and to efficiently account for the spatiality of nitrate concentrations. The analysis was carried out at different spatial levels and key parameters including soil type, watersheds, depth, population, and rainfall. It is observed that elevated nitrate concentrations in the groundwater greatly coincide with increasing rainfall, particularly in the last few years. Results confirm that the annual mean nitrate concentration in the Western groundwater basin has an increasing trend over the period from 1982 to 2004 indicating its vulnerability to contamination. This result can be attributed to the agricultural activities along with the high groundwater recharge. However, leaking septic and sewer systems are considerably causing nitrate contamination of groundwater in populated areas. Overall, the recommendations call for an immediate intervention to manage the quality problems in the West Bank aquifers.

m.almasri's picture

Assessment Of Intrinsic Vulnerability To Contamination For Gaza Coastal Aquifer, Palestine

Journal Title, Volume, Page: 
Journal of Environmental Management 88 (2008) 577–593
Year of Publication: 
2008
Authors: 
Mohammad N. Almasri
Water and Environmental Studies Institute, An-Najah National University, P.O. Box 7, Nablus, Palestine
Current Affiliation: 
Department of Civil Engineering, An-Najah National University, Palestine
Preferred Abstract (Original): 
Gaza coastal aquifer (GCA) is the major source of fresh water for the 1.5 million residents of Gaza Strip, Palestine. The aquifer is under deteriorating quality conditions mainly due to the excessive application of fertilizers. The intrinsic vulnerability of GCA to contamination was assessed using the well-known DRASTIC method. Detailed analysis of the intrinsic vulnerability map of GCA was carried out and did consider different relationships between the vulnerability indices and the on-ground nitrogen loadings and land use classes. In addition, correlation between vulnerability values and the nitrate concentrations in GCA was studied. Based on the vulnerability analysis, it was found that 10% and 13% of Gaza Strip area is under low and high vulnerability of groundwater contamination, respectively, while more than 77% of the area of Gaza Strip can be designated as an area of moderate vulnerability of groundwater contamination. It was found that the density of groundwater sampling wells for nitrate concentration is high for the moderate and high vulnerability zones. The highest first quartile, median, mean, and third quartile of nitrate concentrations are reported in the high vulnerability zones. Results of sensitivity analysis show a high sensitivity of the high vulnerability index to the depth to water table.
m.almasri's picture

Assessment Of Nitrate Contamination Of Groundwater Using Lumped-Parameter Models

Journal Title, Volume, Page: 
Environmental Modelling & Software 24 (2009) 1073–1087
Year of Publication: 
2009
Authors: 
Lubna Hajhamad
College of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, An-Najah National University, P.O. Box 7, Nablus, Palestine
Mohammad N. Almasri
College of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, An-Najah National University, P.O. Box 7, Nablus, Palestine
Current Affiliation: 
Department of Civil Engineering, An-Najah National University, Palestine
Preferred Abstract (Original): 

In this paper, lumped-parameter models (LPMs) were developed and utilized to simulate nitrate concentration in the groundwater of Gaza City and Jabalia Camp (GCJC) in the Gaza Coastal Aquifer (GCA) in Palestine. In the GCJC area, nitrate levels exceed the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg/L NO3-N (45 mg/L NO3) in many wells. Elevated nitrate concentrations in the groundwater of GCJC area are due to the disposal of untreated wastewater, the existence of heavy agriculture in the surrounding areas, and the use of cesspits for wastewater disposal. The developed LPMs utilize monthly time steps and take into consideration all the sources and sinks of water and nitrate in the study area. The main outcomes of the LPMs are the average temporal water table elevation and nitrate concentration. In order to demonstrate LPMs usability, a set of management options to reduce nitrate concentration in the groundwater of the study area were proposed and evaluated using the developed LPMs. Four broad management options were considered where these options tackle the reduction of nitrate concentration in the lateral inflow, rehabilitation of the wastewater collection system, reduction in cesspit usage, and the restriction on the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers. In addition, management options that encompass different combinations of the single management options were taken into account. Different scenarios that correspond to the different management options were investigated. It was found based on the LPMs that individual management options were not effective in meeting the MCL of nitrate. However, the combination of the four single management options with full rehabilitation and coverage of the wastewater collection network along with at least 60% reduction in both nitrate concentration in the lateral inflow and the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers would meet the MCL constraint by the end of the management period.

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