Ain Shams Engineering Journal 15 (2024) 102337

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Ain Shams Engineering Journal

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Groundwater potentiality delineation in Moghra, Egypt

Heba Abd el-Aziz Abu-Bakr ⇑, Manal Abdelmoniem
Research Institute for Groundwater, National Water Research Center, Cairo, Egypt
National Water Research Center Building, Al Qanater Alkhayria, Cairo, Egypt

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: To enhance the role of groundwater and to improve its management, a methodology for assessing
Received 25 October 2022 groundwater potential is applied to many regions of Egypt with shared and non-shared aquifers.
Revised 18 April 2023 Groundwater potentiality refers to the amount of storage that exists in the aquifers. In this research, de-
Accepted 3 June 2023
lineation of groundwater potential zones mapping methodology was applied to the West Delta fringes up
Available online 10 June 2023
to El-Dabaa road and Moghra region as a case study. Currently, in West Nile Delta fringes, existing land
reclamation projects depending on non-renewable groundwater faced various environmental manage-
Keywords:
ment issues, as a result of the dynamic agricultural and urbanization process in the area such as a decline
Groundwater
Potential
in groundwater levels and deterioration of its quality. In the study, field investigations and GIS (geo-
Moghra graphic information system) were utilized to generate the main hydrogeological parameters; lithology,
Geographical information system geomorphology, topography, soil classification, drainage density, land use, saturated thickness, ground-
water levels, and groundwater salinity. The results indicated that the groundwater potential zones were
delineated moderate potential, low, and very low. The results are helpful tools for planning and manage-
ment of groundwater sources. The study recommended continuous monitoring the change in hydrogeo-
logical parameters in the study area especially depth to water, salinity and groundwater extraction due to
continues development. The total and available potentials should also be estimated, using numerical
model to evaluate those potentials now and in the future.
THE AUTHORS. Published by Elsevier BV on behalf of Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University. This is
an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

1. Introduction conducted several studies of the potential of groundwater in all

The study of groundwater potential is one of the basic tools for
groundwater management for all groundwater aquifers and the
various geographical regions at the continental, regional, and spa-
tial levels.
In Egypt, the study of groundwater potential, continuous mon-
itoring of the levels and quality of the aquifer, and monitoring of
the change in the behaviour of groundwater aquifers as a result
of the increase in the quantities of withdrawals or as a result of
any change that occurs in the aquifer is an important and neces-
sary matter, especially since most groundwater development ac-
tivities take place within the areas of the desert fringes, where
the water layers are underground is non-renewable. As is the case
in the western and eastern outskirts of the Nile Delta, where the
extraction of groundwater exceeded the proposed groundwater
development plan. Therefore, the Groundwater Research Institute
⇑ Corresponding author: Research Institute for Groundwater, National Water
Research Center, Cairo, Egypt
E-mail addresses: heba_rigw@yahoo.com, heba_bakr@nwrc.gov.eg
(H. Abd el-Aziz Abu-Bakr).
the different regions of Egypt, especially in the western delta.
RIGW studies began to calculate potential in the West Delta re-
gion in 1990 to implement the first development plan in Wadi El-
Natrun and Wadi El-Fargh. Detailed development plans for the
groundwater of Nubaria, Al-Bustan, Sadat, and the international
road were successively updated on both sides of the Cairo-
Alexandria desert road. Preserving the aquifer from quantitative
and qualitative deterioration and improving its renewal.
Research Institute for Groundwater has studied the potential of
groundwater in the West Delta region by updating the potential of
groundwater reservoirs available in the region, to develop plans for
exploitation that prevent any negative effects on the aquifer in the
area, as well as determining the potential of groundwater in off-
plan areas, which gives a greater opportunity for further develop-
ment and future investment in this area. The study was based on
fieldwork, which consists in making a comprehensive inventory
of the productive wells at the desert edges in the areas inside
and outside the scheme, collecting water samples, surveying pro-
ductive wells, monitoring groundwater levels in productive wells,
and quality control network. The total and available potentials
were also estimated, and the mathematical model was updated

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2023.102337
2090-4479/THE AUTHORS. Published by Elsevier BV on behalf of Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
H. Abd el-Aziz Abu-Bakr and M. Abdelmoniem
and calibrated to evaluate those potentials now and in the future
using the mathematical model of groundwater flow (TRIWACO).
Research Institute for Groundwater updated the study of the
potential of groundwater for the West Delta region by updating a
comprehensive inventory of wells in the region. Through this
study, water samples were collected and analyzed, withdrawal
quantities were calculated and their density was distributed over
the basins, in addition to updating and calibrating the mathemat-
ical model and conducting pumping and replacement experiments.
The calculations of groundwater potentials were updated, maps of
the distribution of pumping density on these basins were prepared,
and the total potential of groundwater was estimated in the region.
One of the results of the study is a continuous decrease with time
in groundwater levels.
[1](the Institute studied the hydrogeological characteristics of
the development area in Moghra 92,400 ha and production of a hy-
drogeological map of the area at a scale of 1:100,000 based on the
results of drilling productive wells in the area in addition to the
wells of oil companies. The results indicated that the area consists
of three main reservoirs, Moghra aquifer, the deep Nubian sand-
stone reservoir (extremely saline), and limestone. The study re-
ported that its thickness reaches 500 m, and the piezometric
pressures in the reservoir range from
20 m to
50 m from sea
level. The results of the hydraulic characteristics indicated that
the conductivity ranged between 500 and 5000 m2/day, the perme-
ability coefficient ranged between 10 and 25 m2/day, and the salin-
ity ranged from 500 to 8000 ppm based on the drilled production
wells, which numbered up to 440 wells.
(Abdel Mogith et. al, 2012) focused on the regional area covers
El-Moghra aquifer relied on field investigation for about 200 wells
and pumping test for 9 wells, physical, chemical, hydraulic proper-
Wells Wells Digital Elevation
inventory Lithology Model
Lithology Geomorphology Topography
Land use Saturated
thickness
GIS processing
(weighted overlay analysis)
Groundwater potential
zone map
Fig. 1. Methodology steps.
2
Ain Shams Engineering Journal 15 (2024) 102337
ties and detailed geological setting of El moghar aquifer were
identified.
Numerous studies evaluated groundwater potential and delin-
eate groundwater potential zones in different aquifers and differ-
ent regions.[2]delineated groundwater zones in Theni, India into
four categories very poor, poor, good, and very good zones using
remote sensing and GIS techniques. The delineation was depending
on six parameters drainage density, lithology, rainfall, soil, slope,
and land use.Abdalla et al. [3]integrated thematic layers (lithology,
topography, slope, stream networks, lineaments, and rainfall) us-
ing linear weighted combination techniques in GIS to assess
groundwater potential mapping in West Qena, Egypt. The thematic
layers; lithology, topography, slope, stream networks, lineaments,
and rainfall were given a weightage of 18.7, 12.5, 18.7, 25, 12.5
and 12,5%, respectively. The results obtained revealed six distinct
potential zones namely very low, low, moderate, high, very high,
and excellent that covering areas (%) 6.02, 12, 7.78, 25.98, 36.83,
and 11.36%, respectively.
Pankaj Kumar et al. [4]) generated groundwater potential zona-
tion map using integrated use of remote sensing and geographic
information system (GIS) for Killinochi area, Northern Sri Lanka
based on geomorphology, geology, slope, soil type, and land use.
Al-Abadi and Al-Shamma [5] used the Analytical Hierarchy process
and GIS to produce the final groundwater potential map in the
south of Iraq. The groundwater potential map of the study area re-
veals three distinct zones: high, moderate, and low groundwater
availability.[6] evaluated groundwater potentiality of West Qena,
Egypt by integrating remote sensing and hydro-geophysical tech-
niques. [6] conducted four steps (1) identifying and mapping the
different surface factors that control the infiltration of water to
the aquifer; (2) reclassification thematic layers; (3) giving each
Groundwater Satalite
Samples images
Soil Drainage
Classification Density
GW levels GW salinity
H. Abd el-Aziz Abu-Bakr and M. Abdelmoniem Ain Shams Engineering Journal 15 (2024) 102337

thematic layer a rank and weight; and (4) integrating all the the- thickness, groundwater levels, and groundwater quality. For accu-
matic maps in a GIS model using the weighted overlay method rate assessment of groundwater potential, the study area is delin-
to generate the groundwater potentiality map of the study area. eated into equal unit cell and all analyses have been executed
Al-Abadi and Al-Shamma [5] used analytical hierarch process through geographical information system (GIS). The results show
(AHP) and GIS to delineate groundwater availability zones for the the classified groundwater potential map for the region.
major aquifer in northeast Missan governorate, south of Iraq. The
areas covered by low, moderate, and high zones were 1138, 554,
2. Materials and methods
and 157 km2 for, respectively. In Bazian Basin, Sulaymaniyah, Kur-
distan Region, Iraq [7] used analytical hierarch process (AHP) and
The objective of this research is to assess and evaluate ground-
Multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) models for groundwater
water potentiality for the study in the new reclamation area in
productivity zones delineation according to six thematic layers;
Moghra region. From previous studies, various studies were ap-
land use, geology, geomorphology, slope, soil and drainage density.
plied in groundwater potential assessment depending on setting
[8] evaluated groundwater potential zone using a combination
rates and weights for hydrogeological parameters that directly af-
of numerical modelling and spatial modelling with GIS for the
fect the groundwater potentiality as shown in Fig. 1.
sub-basin of the Banganga River, India. Identification of groundwa-
In this work Microsoft Excel and ArcGIS were used for numeri-
ter potential zone relied on thematic maps of the basin like geolo-
cal rating, classifying the data, and generating the groundwater po-
gy, geomorphology, soil, drainage, slope factor and
tential map. Nine hydrogeological parameters were selected for
landuse/landcover. The study concluded that spatial modelling is
this assessment. A Groundwater potential map was obtained by
highly useful for evaluation of groundwater and determination of
overlaying the nine hydrogeological parameters in terms of the
suitable location of water harvesting structures.
weighted overlay method using the spatial analysis in ArcGIS.
In this research, delineation of groundwater potential zones
These nine hydrogeological factors control the groundwater po-
mapping methodology was applied to new development area in
tentiality of the aquifer; 1) Lithology: it controls groundwater stor-
Moghra region as a case study. In this area, new reclamation pro-
age and infiltration to groundwater. It controls contaminant
jects depend on non-renewable groundwater. In the study, field in-
transport according to the consolidated or unconsolidated medi-
vestigations and GIS (geographic information system) were
um, 2) Geomorphology: it represents the landform of an area. It
utilized to generate the main hydrogeological parameters; litholo-
shows the landform features distribution, 3) Slope: it controls
gy, Geomorphology, slope, soil media, drainage density, saturated
the runoff of pollutants and it represents the steepness of the

Table 1
Rating and weights of the hydrogeological parameters for the study area.

The factor Sub feature Rates Weight

Lithology  Moghra (Tmg)Marmarica Limestone  H  7.0 0.17
(Tmm)Elhag formation M 5.0
(Tplh)sand dunes M 4.0
(Qd)Sabkha deposits and marsh. Silt, clay M 3.0
(Qb)Undifferentiated Quaternary deposits, sand, gravel, recent coastal deposits. L 2.0
(Q) L 1.0
Geomorphology  Gravelly Platformes  M  4.0 0.09
Pediplains H 7.0
Sabkha L 2.0
Sand Sheet M 3.0
Topography/Slope  Flat  H  6.0 0.08
gentle M 5.0
moderate H 4.0
high L 3.0
very high M 2.0
Soil media  stoney and lomy sand  H  6.0 0.1
shallow or stoney loamy sand H 6.0
gravelly land with brown loamy sand M 5.0
Arid brown loamy soils M 4.0
solonchaks with rocky hill L 2.0
Sabkha of the desert depressions L 2.0
Rocky escarpments of different country rocks L 1.0
Drainage density  <2  H  5.0 0.06
2–4 H 4.0
4–6 M 3.0
6–8 M 2.0
8–10 L 1.0
Land use  fish farms  H  8.0 0.08
agricultural lands H 7.0
buildings L 1.0
industrial L 1.0
Saturated thickness  400–600  H  7.0 0.1
200–400 M 4.0
0–200 L 2.0
Depth to GW  0–50  H  5.0 0.16
50–100 M 4.0
100–200 L 3.0
GW salinity  0–1500  H  4.0 0.16
1500–3000 M 2.0
3000–5000 L 1.0

3
H. Abd el-Aziz Abu-Bakr and M. Abdelmoniem Ain Shams Engineering Journal 15 (2024) 102337

Fig. 2. Location of the study area.

ground surface. It controls surface runoff and the rate of infiltra-
tion. Steep slopes produce more rapid runoff and a smaller
recharge rate, 4) Soil media: it controls the infiltration of the
amount of recharge which is infiltrated to groundwater and it rep-
resents the availability of voids and it influences permeability. Soil
media also affects on groundwater yield and groundwater storage.
The closer the soil is to fine soil, this leads to lack permeability,
which reduces the filtration rate, and the closer the soil is to grain
soil, the higher the permeability, which leads to an increase in in-
filtration rate, 5) Drainage Density: it controls infiltration rate and

Fig. 3. Aquifer system and geological basins of Moghra [1].

4
H. Abd el-Aziz Abu-Bakr and M. Abdelmoniem Ain Shams Engineering Journal 15 (2024) 102337

Fig. 4. Geomorphology map of the study area.

Fig. 5. Topography map of the study area.

5
H. Abd el-Aziz Abu-Bakr and M. Abdelmoniem Ain Shams Engineering Journal 15 (2024) 102337

Fig. 6. Slope map of the study area.

Fig. 7. Soil classification map of the study area.

6
H. Abd el-Aziz Abu-Bakr and M. Abdelmoniem Ain Shams Engineering Journal 15 (2024) 102337

Fig. 8. Drainage density map of the study area.

Fig. 9. Land use map of the study area.

7
H. Abd el-Aziz Abu-Bakr and M. Abdelmoniem Ain Shams Engineering Journal 15 (2024) 102337

infiltration of contaminants to groundwater. It depends on litholo-
gy. High drainage density represents less infiltration and low drai-
nage density represents a high infiltration rate, 6) Land use: It is
directly related to water leaking into the ground. Wetlands and
water bodies are considered to have the highest rank, also rivers,
alluvial deposits have a high leakage rate. In addition, in irrigated
agricultural areas water infiltration into the ground is also high
rank, 7) Saturated Thickness: it refers to the available water in
the aquifer, it refers to the depth between the water table and
the base of the aquifer in unconfined aquifer and it refers to the
thickness between the bottom of the confining layer and the base
of the aquifer in a confined aquifer. The higher the value of saturat-
ed thickness, the less potentiality of the aquifer, 8) Groundwater
Levels: It controls the transport of the pollutants to groundwater
based on the distance of the groundwater table from the ground
surface of the earth in an unconfined aquifer and the level of the
bottom of the confining layer in a confined aquifer, 9) Groundwa-
ter Salinity: This factor is considered one of the most important
hydrogeological factors that affect the potential of groundwater,
as the salinity of groundwater determines the possibility of using
the available water and determines the aspects of the use and
the types of crops.
For each hydrogeological parameter the rate was determined by
the classification of the baseline conditions for each parameter
from the nine parameters and weights were assigned according
to previous studies and according to the effect of each factor on
groundwater potential and the factor strength. A higher weight
value of the hydrogeological factor represents a larger impact on
groundwater potential and a lower weight represents a smaller
impact.
Each parameter is classified into ranges from 1 to 10 based on
their relative effect on the groundwater potential, where 10 is
the highest vulnerability and 1 refers to the lowest potential. The
parameter rates were shown in Table 1.
The nine parameters were mapped and classified into ranges
like (depth to groundwater, aquifer saturated thickness; ground-
water salinity, topography, drainage density, and groundwater ex-
traction) or into significant media types like (lithology,
geomorphology, land use, and soil media). Then the weighted rat-
ings are summed to calculate the vulnerability for each region and
the final vulnerability map is based on the index numbers using
the following equation:
GWP ¼ Lir Liw þ Gmr Gmw þ Tr Tw þ Sr Sw þ Ddr Ddw þ Luw Lur
þ Thw Thr þ GWLr GWLw þ GWSr GWSw ð1Þ
where GWP is groundwater potentiality, Lir is lithology rate, Liwis
lithology weight, Gmr is geomorphology rate, Gmw is geomorphol-
ogy weight, Tr is topography rate, Tw is topography weight, Sr is soil
media rate, Sw is soi media weight, Ddr is drainage density rate, Ddw
is drainage density weight, Lur is land use rate, Luw is land use
weight, Thr is saturated thickness rate, Thw is saturated thickness
weight, GWLr is groundwater level rate, GWLw is groundwater level
weight, GWSr is groundwater salinity rate, GWSw is groundwater
salinity weight.
2.1. The study area
The study area is located in Moghra area at the west Nile Delta.
It lies between 20o000 to 30o300 N and 28° 200 to 29o000 E as shown
in Fig. 2. The study area covers about 92,400 ha. The land surface

Fig. 10. Groundwater levels map of the study area (m).

8
H. Abd el-Aziz Abu-Bakr and M. Abdelmoniem
ranges from about
50 m to 250 m according to mean sea level
(AMSL). The study area lies in the arid zone and precipitation rates
range between 0 and 13 mm. In the study area according to
Alexandria Borg El Arab Airport weather station, the maximum
daily temperature in summer is 38 °C and the minimum tempera-
ture in winter is 8 °C.
According to the geologic map of Egypt , hydrogeological maps
[1] and, the logs of drilled wells in the study area, the study area
contains hydrogeological units including; Pliocene, Upper Miocene,
and Lower Miocene and sabkha deposits as shown in Fig. 2.Moghra
aquifer consists of sandstone and clay belonging to the Lower Mio-
cene (the Moghra Formation) and it may turn into clay near the
coast of the Mediterranean Sea and the Nile Delta. It is large from
the eastern half of the Qattara Depression.
Moghra aquifer is hydraulically connected to the Nile system
under Nile Delta. The average thickness of the water-bearing for-
mations is from 100 to 200 m. The water level in Moghra system
decreases from about
20 m below sea level to
50 m below sea
level near the Qattara Depression in the west. The direction of wa-
ter flow in Moghra aquifer is from southeast to northwest. The wa-
ter in the Moghra aquifer is in a free state in most parts of the
region, while the water may become confined to the north direc-
tion where limestone rocks are above it.
The hydraulic parameters of the aquifer needed to calculate
the potential of groundwater were determined by conducting
Fig. 11. Groundwater salinity map of the study area.
9
Ain Shams Engineering Journal 15 (2024) 102337
some pumping and replacement experiments on some existing
production and test wells in the study area. The results of RIGW
work were also used through various hydrogeological studies to
compile the pumping experiments conducted in the region to
benefit from them in the required study. The results of 39 con-
tinuous pumping experiments were collected on 39 production
wells in the West Delta region. The pumping tests analysis re-
sults indicated that The hydraulic conductivity ranges between
5 and 25 m/d, and the transmissivity values range between
550 and 3500 m2/d. The storativity ranges between 0.1 and
0.001.
From the hydrogeochemical aspect, and according to the mea-
surements of the values of total dissolved salts TDS in many of
the wells in Moghra region, it was found that the salinity of the wa-
ter ranges from 1200 to 8000 mg/l.
Groundwater potential refers to the extent of groundwater
availability in the study area. Therefore, in this research, ground-
water potential was calculated in the study areas (the development
area in Moghra). The GIS was used to draw and compiled ground-
water maps. To calculate the potential of groundwater in any re-
gion, it is necessary to know the hydrogeological parameters that
control and influence the assessment of the potential of groundwa-
ter in the region.
In this part, the hydrogeological parameters that were used in
the assessment will be clarified, as well as the gradual
H. Abd el-Aziz Abu-Bakr and M. Abdelmoniem
classification of each parameter and a contour map for the distri-
bution of each factor over the entire area.
3. Results and discussion
To create a potential map, contour and rating maps for all pa-
rameters, the surfer software was used. The parameter values
and the spatial distribution of the nine factors are represented in
the following sections:
3.1. Lithology
Lithology refers to aquifer soil properties. Lithology controls
water movement and contaminants’ natural attenuation. Lithology
is an important and influential factor in the availability of ground-
water and the recharge of the aquifer. The porosity and permeabil-
ity of the particles and the structural characteristics of the rocky
units and soil particles in the aquifer are among the factors affect-
ing the increase in the groundwater reserve and the movement of
groundwater. It was determined from the geological maps, hydro-
geological maps, and wells lithology [1]. Based on the geological
maps, the area contains hydrogeological units divided as follows
(the main aquifer, the Moghra aquifer, the marmarika limestone,
and the sabkha deposits). As shown in Fig. 3.
3.2. Geomorphology:
Geomorphology maps are maps that show mountains and low
land areas and sedimentary areas. They are a description of the
characteristics of the Earth’s surface as they were formed by geo-
logical and climatic processes such as sea surface fluctuations,
Fig. 12. Pumping rate map of the study area.
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Ain Shams Engineering Journal 15 (2024) 102337
wind and rain movement, temperatures, erosion factors, and sedi-
ment accumulation. In this study area, the geomorphological map
is composed of five major units; 1) Gravelly platforms, 2) Pedi-
aplains, 3) Sabkha, and 4) Sand sheets, as shown in the Fig. 4.
3.3. Topography and surface slope
Topography helps to determine slope values and slope maps.
Topography and slopes affect the movement of water on the sur-
face of the earth and on the surface infiltration of groundwater
such as rainwater and excess irrigation water. The slope is very
important to control the water and contaminate runoff. Steep
slopes allow more runoff and reduce the potential for infiltration.
But mild slopes reduce high runoff and increase the potential for
infiltration [9]. The slope map was prepared from DEM. Fig. 5
shows the topography of the area, which ranges from zero to
100 m in the reclamation area and is less than zero below sea level
in the Qattara Depression and increases in the north outside the
reclamation area until it reaches 200 m above sea level. The slope
of the Earth’s surface was calculated in Fig. 6.
3.4. Soil classification
Soil media plays an important role in groundwater recharge,
water infiltration, contaminant transport, and interaction between
groundwater and surface water. The water holding capacity de-
pends upon the soil media and its permeability. When the soil is
more permeable the aquifer is more potential, while the aquifer
will be less potential for less permeable soils. The analysis of the
soil type reveals that the study area is covered by; 1) gravelly sand
with brown loamy soils, 2) rocky escarpments, 3) sabkha, 4) shal-
H. Abd el-Aziz Abu-Bakr and M. Abdelmoniem
low or stoney loamy sand, 5) rocky hills, and 6) stoney loamy sand
as shown in on Fig. 7.
4. Drainage density
Classification of the soil surface is an influential factor in the in-
trusion of surface water into the surface of groundwater. The drai-
nage density was calculated by dividing the total length of the
drain by the total area of the drainage basin using ArcGIS. The high-
er the density of drainage, the lower the rate of infiltration into the
groundwater. The area with higher drainage density has higher
runoff while the low drainage density area is vice versa. The study
area has been grouped into five classes from zero to 9 km/km2 as
shown in Fig. 8.
4.1. Land use
Land use is considered an influential factor in the quantities of
leaking water that affect the potential of groundwater. The land us-
es in the study area are classified into areas of land reclamation for
agriculture and fish farms (which are more influential on water
seepage into the aquifer) and buildings and industrial areas (which
are less affected by the leakage of water) as shown in Fig. 9.
4.2. Groundwater levels
In our study area, depth to groundwater was obtained from di-
rect measurement of water level in observation wells. Depth to
groundwater or water level is an important parameter to deter-
mine aquifer potential. It is clear from the map of groundwater
levels in Fig. 10 that groundwater levels range from
20 to

50 m from sea level, which shows that the direction of ground-
water is from the southeast to the northwest, and the depth to
Fig. 13. Groundwater potential zone map of the study area.
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Ain Shams Engineering Journal 15 (2024) 102337
the groundwater ranges from 25 to 70 m from the surface Land
The depth-to-groundwater coefficient is one of the factors affecting
the calculation of the potential, because it controls the calculation
of the saturated thickness of the reservoir and, consequently, the
volume of water in the aquifer.
5. Groundwater quality
In Moghra region the salinity of groundwater is considered to
be high salinity, as the results of sample analyzes and groundwater
salinity measurements proved that salinity ranges from 1200 to
8000 mg/liter and this will lead to a decrease in the potential of
groundwater in the region in terms of salt concentration as shown
in Fig. 11.
6. Pumping rate
The study relied on the inventory of wells number and the
quantities of withdrawals for each hydrogeological basin based
on the data of the field inventory of the wells, as shown in
Fig. 12. The pumping rate density is the discharge rate per unit hor-
izontal area. The higher pumping rate density indicates less aquifer
potential as a result of overdraft pumping.
The groundwater potential zones were determined by integrat-
ing of nine hydrogeological factors (lithology, geomorphology, to-
pography, soil classification, drainage density, land use, saturated
thickness, groundwater levels, and groundwater salinity). Accord-
ing to the rates and weights of these factors, layers were grouped
to determine the final groundwater potential map.
The groundwater potential zones were divided into five cate-
gories very high, high, moderate, low, and very low. As shown in
Fig. 13 in the study area, 46.875 % of the study area was classified
H. Abd el-Aziz Abu-Bakr and M. Abdelmoniem
as moderately groundwater potential in the new reclamation area,
47.91 % was classified as low groundwater potential in the north of
the new reclamation area and 5.21 % of the area was classified as
very low potential.
7. Conclusion
The present research studied groundwater potentiality delin-
eation as a tool for groundwater management based on nine hy-
drogeological factors in Moghra region as a case study. Moghra
region represents a new reclamation area for agriculture and fish
farming. Wells lithology, topographic maps, groundwater levels
monitoring, and groundwater samples analysis were used to pre-
pare the thematic layers. Thematic maps for the nine layers were
plotted in a GIS environment to identify the categories of ground-
water potential. The results indicated that the areas of the aquifer
with moderate potential is about (46.875 %), the areas of low po-
tential is about (47.91 %) and the area of very low potential is
(5.21 %). The results are helpful tools for planning and manage-
ment of groundwater sources. It is recommended continuous mon-
itoring the change in hydrogeological parameters in the study area
especially depth to water, salinity and groundwater extraction due
to continues development. The total and available potentials
should also be estimated, using numerical model to evaluate those
potentials now and in the future. This approach can be applied in
other areas with different hydrogeological conditions.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing finan-
cial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared
to influence the work reported in this paper.
12
Ain Shams Engineering Journal 15 (2024) 102337
Acknowledgement
I would like to thank the staff of the Research Institute for
Groundwater, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation for their
help in collecting the data used in this research.
References:
[1] Rigw. Hydrogeological Map of El Moghra region. Scale 2017;1(100):000.
[2] Magesh NS, Chandrasekar N, Soundranayagam JP. Delineation of groundwater
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