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Management of saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers using different wells systems: a case study of the Nile Delta aquifer in Egypt

Gestion de l’intrusion d’eau salée dans les aquifères côtiers faisant appel à différents systèmes de puits: étude du cas de l’aquifère du Delta du Nil en Egypte

Gerenciamento da intrusão salgada em aquíferos costeiros utilizando diferentes sistemas de poços: um estudo de caso no aquífero do Delta do Nilo no Egito

使用不同的井系统管理沿海含水层的盐水入侵:以埃及尼罗河三角洲含水层为例

Gestión de la intrusión de agua salada en acuíferos costeros utilizando diferentes sistemas de perforaciones: un estudio de caso del acuífero del Delta del Nilo en Egipto

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Abstract

Saltwater intrusion (SWI) is a type of pollution that adversely affects the quality of groundwater in coastal aquifers. The Nile Delta aquifer (NDA) in Egypt contains a large amount of freshwater. Increasing abstraction from the aquifer and sea level rise have led to an increase in SWI, which has reached up to 100 km inland. Therefore, practical measures are required to prevent further SWI. This study aims to identify an optimal well system to manage the intrusion of saline water in NDA using a number of management systems, including pumping of brackish water, aquifer recharge, and abstraction of the freshwater. SEAWAT code is used to simulate SWI in the aquifer considering different scenarios of pumping and sea level rise. Four scenarios are used to control SWI, including: decreasing pumping from the aquifer, increasing recharge using treated waste water, increasing abstraction of brackish water for desalination, and a combination of these systems. The results showed that increasing recharge could lead to greater retardation of SWI (19.5%) than decreasing pumping (6.2%) and abstraction of brackish water (5.9%). However, a combined well system of pumping, recharge and abstraction is shown to be a more effective tool to control SWI in coastal aquifers, with retardation percentage of 21.3%.

Résumé

L’intrusion d’eau salée (IES) est un type de pollution qui agit défavorablement sur la qualité de l’eau des aquifères côtiers. L’aquifère du Delta du Nil (ADN) en Egypte abrite une part importante d’eau douce. L’augmentation des prélèvements dans l’aquifère et l’élévation du niveau de la mer ont conduit à un accroissement de l’IES, qui s’est étendue jusqu’à 100 km à l’intérieur des terres. Par conséquent, des mesures opérationnelles sont nécessaires pour prévenir une progression de l’IES. La présente étude vise à identifier un dispositif de puits optimisé, destiné à contrôler l’intrusion d’eau salée dans l’ADN, en mettant en œuvre un certain nombre de dispositifs de gestion, incluant un pompage d’eau saumâtre, une recharge de l’aquifère et une extraction d’eau douce. Le programme SEAWAT est utilisé pour simuler l’IES dans l’aquifère, en prenant en compte divers scénarios de pompage et d’élévation du niveau de la mer. Quatre scénarios sont utilisés pour contrôler l’IES, comprenant: décroissance du pompage en aquifère, augmentation de la recharge par de l’eau usée traitée, accroissement de l’extraction d’eau saumâtre pour la désalinisation et combinaison de ces dispositifs. Les résultats montrent que l’accroissement de la recharge pourrait conduire à retarder l’IES davantage (19.5%) que la décroissance du pompage (6.2%) et l’extraction d’eau saumâtre (5.9%). Cependant, un dispositif de puits combinant le pompage, la recharge et l’extraction s’est révélé être un outil plus efficace pour contrôler l’IES dans les aquifères côtiers, avec un taux de retard de 21.3%.

Resumen

La intrusión de agua salada (SWI) es un tipo de contaminación que afecta negativamente a la calidad de las aguas subterráneas de los acuíferos costeros. El acuífero del Delta del Nilo (NDA) en Egipto contiene una elevada cantidad de agua dulce. La cada vez mayor extracción del acuífero y el ascenso del nivel del mar han provocado un aumento de la SWI, que ha llegado hasta 100 km tierra adentro. Por lo tanto, es necesario adoptar medidas prácticas para evitar una mayor SWI. Este estudio pretende identificar un sistema de pozos óptimo para gestionar la intrusión de agua salina en el NDA utilizando varios sistemas de gestión, incluyendo el bombeo de agua salobre, la recarga del acuífero y la extracción del agua dulce. Se utiliza el código SEAWAT para simular la SWI en el acuífero considerando diferentes escenarios de bombeo y ascenso del nivel del mar. Se utilizan cuatro escenarios para controlar el SWI, que incluyen: la disminución del bombeo del acuífero, el aumento de la recarga utilizando aguas residuales tratadas, el aumento de la extracción de agua salobre para la desalinización, y una combinación de estos sistemas. Los resultados mostraron que el aumento de la recarga podía conducir a un mayor retraso de la SWI (19.5%) que la disminución del bombeo (6.2%) y la extracción de agua salobre (5.9%). Sin embargo, un sistema de pozos combinado de bombeo, recarga y extracción se muestra como una herramienta más eficaz para controlar la SWI en los acuíferos costeros, con un porcentaje de retardo del 21.3%.

摘要

咸水入侵 (SWI)是污染类型之一, 会对沿海含水层的地下水质量产生不利影响。埃及尼罗河三角洲含水层(NDA)含有大量的淡水。含水层中开采量的增加和海平面的上升导致了咸水入侵的增加, 已达到内陆100 km。因此, 需要采取措施来防止海水进一步的入侵。本研究旨在通过包括咸水抽取、含水层补给和淡水开采的系列管理措施来确定最佳的井系统来管理尼罗河三角洲含水层的咸水入侵。考虑到开采和海平面上升的不同情景, 采用SEAWAT代码来模拟含水层的咸水入侵。提出控制咸水入侵的四种方案, 包括:减少从含水层的开采量, 利用处理过的废水增加补给量, 增加海水淡化的咸水开采量以及这些方案的组合。结果表明, 增加补给量(19.5%)可能比减小开采量(6.2%)和咸水开采量(5.9%)有更大的咸水入侵阻滞效果。但是, 这几种措施的组合方案在控制沿海含水层咸水入侵更有效, 阻滞百分比为21.3%。

Resumo

A intrusão de água salgada (IAS) é um tipo de poluição que impacta negativamente a qualidade das águas subterrâneas em aquíferos costeiros. O aquífero do Delta do Nilo (ADN), no Egito, contém uma grande quantidade de água doce. O aumento da captação do aquífero e a elevação do nível do mar levaram a um aumento da IAS, que chegou a 100 km no interior. Portanto, são necessárias medidas práticas para evitar mais IAS. Este estudo visa identificar um sistema de poço ideal para gerenciar a intrusão de água salgada no ADN utilizando diversos sistemas de gerenciamento, incluindo bombeamento de água salobra, recarga de aquíferos e captação de água doce. O código SEAWAT é usado para simular IAS no aquífero considerando diferentes cenários de bombeamento e elevação do nível do mar. Quatro cenários são usados para controlar a IAS, incluindo: diminuição do bombeamento do aquífero, aumento da recarga usando água residual tratada, aumento da captação de água salobra para dessalinização, e uma combinação destes sistemas. Os resultados mostraram que o aumento da recarga poderia levar a um maior retardo da IAS (19.5%) do que a diminuição do bombeamento (6.2%) e da captação de água salobra (5.9%). Entretanto, um sistema combinado de bombeamento, recarga e captação de poços demonstrou ser uma ferramenta mais eficaz para controlar a IAS em aquíferos costeiros, com um percentual de retardo de 21.3%.

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Funding

The authors would like to thank the Water and Water Structures Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University, for supporting this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Water and Water Structures Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt

    Ismail Abd-Elaty & Hany Abd-Elhamid

  2. Department of Engineering, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QF, UK

    Akbar A. Javadi

  3. Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Kosice, 04001, Košice, Slovakia

    Hany Abd-Elhamid

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  1. Ismail Abd-Elaty
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  3. Hany Abd-Elhamid
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Correspondence to Hany Abd-Elhamid.

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Abd-Elaty, I., Javadi, A.A. & Abd-Elhamid, H. Management of saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers using different wells systems: a case study of the Nile Delta aquifer in Egypt. Hydrogeol J 29, 1767–1783 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-021-02344-w

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