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Assessing Groundwater Geospatial Variation Using Microgravity Investigation in the Arid Riyadh Metropolitan Area, Saudi Arabia: a Case Study

Author

Listed:
  • Mohamed Alfy

    (King Saud University
    Mansoura University)

  • Ibrahim ElSebaie

    (King Saud University)

  • Ayman Aguib

    (King Saud University)

  • Ahmed Mohamed

    (Geomatics USA, LLC)

  • Qassem Tarawneh

    (King Saud University)

Abstract

A combination of relative microgravity measurements at ground surface, and depth to water and water table measurements from adjacent wells were used to estimate geospatial variation of groundwater. A highly accurate portable Grav-Map gravimeter was used for gravimetric measurements at locations nearby a 42 well water table monitoring program. To efficiently correlate the two data sets, wells were clustered into five groups by geological unit and water saturation. Microgravity data was processed, interpreted, and correlated with both the depths to groundwater and the water table levels. Regression analyses revealed a strong negative correlation for microgravity and depth to groundwater in all five clusters; correlation coefficients varied between 0.70 and 0.97, and measured 0.78 over the entire study area. Microgravity values increased as groundwater depth decreased, likely because rising groundwater fills voids and fractures within soil and rocks, increasing rock density and therefore relative gravity. To validate the correlation, we superimposed a map of depths to water on the first derivative of microgravity measurements. The shallowest groundwater depths were positively related to the zero first derivatives, having intersection areas within a 75 % significance interval. Negative first derivatives covered the rest of the study area, with relative gravity decreasing with increasing groundwater depth. This technique can precisely and efficiently determine changes in subsurface geology and geospatial changes in depths to the groundwater table. Distances between microgravity stations should be small, to better detect small changes in gravity values, reflecting density contrasts underground.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohamed Alfy & Ibrahim ElSebaie & Ayman Aguib & Ahmed Mohamed & Qassem Tarawneh, 2016. "Assessing Groundwater Geospatial Variation Using Microgravity Investigation in the Arid Riyadh Metropolitan Area, Saudi Arabia: a Case Study," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(11), pages 3845-3860, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:30:y:2016:i:11:d:10.1007_s11269-016-1392-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-016-1392-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mohamed Alfy & Aref Lashin & Nassir Al-Arifi & Abdulaziz Al-Bassam, 2015. "Groundwater Characteristics and Pollution Assessment Using Integrated Hydrochemical Investigations GIS and Multivariate Geostatistical Techniques in Arid Areas," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(15), pages 5593-5612, December.
    2. Alain Bonneville & Essam Heggy & Christopher Strickland & Jonathan Normand & Jeffrey Dermond & Yilin Fang & Charlotte Sullivan, 2015. "Geophysical Monitoring of Ground Surface Deformation Associated with a Confined Aquifer Storage and Recovery Operation," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(13), pages 4667-4682, October.
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