Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of African Postgraduate Studies - Department of Natural Resources

Nowadays, the strategic development of Sahara Desert however, principally depends on the occurrence of groundwater resources. So, the present study represents one of the most important land reclamation projects in western desert of Egypt located at the west of the Nile Valley. Where, the present study deals with hydrogeology, hydrology, hydrochemistry as well as the evaluation of the groundwater resources in the study area. The study area is located to the west of the Nile Valley between latitudes 27{u00B0} 30{u00B4}- 28{u00B0} 40{u00B4}N and longitudes 30{u00B0} 12{u00B4}- 30{u00B0} 45{u00B4}E at the eastern part of African Sahara Desert.The main protocol to study the water resources and evaluation of its hydrogeological parameters could be stated as the following: 1- Field work: Nineteen pumping tests and thirteen step tests were carried out in the study area to obtain both the aquifer and the well hydraulic parameters. Moreover, thirty-four selected groundwater samples were collected along the study area to carry out the chemical analyses for them. 2- Laboratory work: The collected water samples were chemically analyzed to determine the physical characteristics as EC, pH, TDS, and chemical constituents as Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ , Na+, K+ and CO₃², HCO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻ and Cl⁻ 3- Office work: It includes the preparing and drawing contouring maps of Transmissivity, Storage coefficients, Hydraulic conductivity and Diffusivity. Also, drawing two hydrological cross-sections, in addition, preparing, arranging and writing all the study chapters. The obtained results of the present study showed the following; - Geomorphologically, the studied area is distinguished into three units; alluvial plains, fanglomerates and limestone plateau, and drainage lines.- Geologically, the sedimentary succession in the studied area from top to base are; Holocene deposits (Nile silt and sand dunes), Pleistocene deposits (fluvial sand and gravel with clay), Plio-Pleistocene deposits (sand and gravel), Pliocene deposits (clay intercalation with some lenses sand), Eocene limestone rocks, (Samalute Formation and Minia Formation)

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