VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER TO POLLUTION IN KHARTOUM STATE
BY: SANA AHMED KHALIL ALI
Supervisor : Dr. Gamal M. Abdo
2005
As a result of the different sources of pollution in the Khartoum state, the Sudan Republic, together with the development of industries and private agriculture project, serious impact to the environment has been encountered. The landscape configuration changes, land subsidence, soil pollution and degradation, air pollution and surface and groundwater contamination, are among the various environmental problems in the State. Groundwater aquifer pollution is mainly caused by toxic materials percolating downwards from wastewater disposal wells, oxidation ponds, septic tanks and chemical plants. The increasing population in the Sudan Republic in general and in the Khartoum state in particular, aquifer vulnerability assessment becomes prerequisite in order identify aquifers with high pollution potential. That assessment can help to provide tools for groundwater protection management,
This research aims at assessing the aquifer vulnerability in Khartoum State Appling DRASRIC (method for regional assessment) under Surface software for analysis and representation. The DRASTIC method proposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is an empirical type of approaches developed to evaluate the pollution potential based on the concept of the hydrogeological setting. It is defined as “ a composite description of the entire major geological and hydrologic factors which affect and control groundwater movement into, through and out of an area”. Depth to water, Aquifer media, Topography and hydraulic Conductivity are four of the seven DRASTIC parameters considered to be critical in assessing aquifer vulnerability in this stud.
Generally, the study area was found to be of very low vulnerability values. The eastern, southwestern banks of the white Nile and part of the northern bank of the Blue Nile in the study area are considered as more vulnerable to contamination and consequently need to be managed more closely. In fact the result was found to be highly influenced by the characteristics of the local hydrogeological setting and by the depth to water and slope % parameters. The capability of DRASTIC to produce relative assessment and comparable results over large areas was discussed. Certainly, the adopted methodology in this research is applicable elsewhere if based on local specific consideration.