Abstract
The Najd, Oman, is located in one of the most arid environments in the world. The groundwater in this region is occurring in four different aquifers A to D of the Hadhramaut Group consisting mainly of different types of limestone and dolomite. The quality of the groundwater is dominated by the major ions sodium, calcium, magnesium, sulphate, and chloride, but the hydrochemical character is varying among the four aquifers. Mineralization within the separate aquifers increases along the groundwater flow direction from south to north-northeast up to high saline sodium-chloride water in aquifer D in the northeast area of the Najd. Environmental isotope analyses of hydrogen and oxygen were conducted to monitor the groundwater dynamics and to evaluate the recharge conditions of groundwater into the Najd aquifers. Results suggest an earlier recharge into these aquifers as well as ongoing recharge takes place in the region down to present day. Mixing of modern and submodern waters was detected by water isotopes in aquifer D in the mountain chain (Jabal) area and along the northern side of the mountain range. In addition, δ2H and δ18O variations suggest that aquifers A, B, and C are assumed to be connected by faults and fractures, and interaction between the aquifers may occur. Low tritium concentrations support the mixing assumption in the recharge area. The knowledge about the groundwater development is an important factor for the sustainable use of water resources in the Dhofar region.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alsaaran NA (2008) Origin and geochemical reaction paths of sabkha brines: Sabkha Jayb Uwayyid, eastern Saudi Arabia. Arab J Geosci 1:63–74
Clark I, Fritz P (1997) Environmental isotopes in hydrogeology. Lewis Publishers, New York
Clark ID, Fritz P, Quinn OP, Rippon PW, Nash H, Al-Said SB (1987) Modern and fossil groundwater in an arid environment: a look at the hydrogeology of southern Oman. In: Proceed. Use of stable isotopes in water resources development, IAEA-SM-299. Vienna, Austria, pp 167–187
Gehre M, Strauch G (2003) High-temperature elemental analysis and pyrolysis techniques for stable isotope analysis. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 17:1497–1503
GRC (2005) Drilling and aquifer testing project in the Western Al Wusta (Najd) Desert, Oman. Final Report, unpublished, Ministry of Regional Municipality and Water Resources (MRMWR), Sultanate of Oman
GRC (2007) Drilling and aquifer testing programme in the Dhofar governorate. Inception Report, Sultanate of Oman
Hem JD (1989) Study and interpretation of the chemical characteristics of natural water, 3rd edn. United States Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2254, Library of Congress, Washington, USA
Hölting B (1992) Hydrogeologie, Kapitel 4.2.2.10, Ferdinand Enke Verlag Stuttgart
Hydrotechnica (1985) Thumrait military camp, reappraisal of groundwater supply, Report Nr. 6.324/R1, Sultanate of Oman
IAEA (1981) Stable isotope hydrology, 18O and 2H in the water cycle, Technical Reports Series No. 210, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna
IAEA/WMO (2006) Global network of isotopes in precipitation. The GNIP Database. http://www.iaea.org/water
MacDonald M (1991) Detailed investigations for development of up to 1000 ha of irrigated land: Nejd Region. Hydrogeology Interim Report (Final), Ministry of Water Resources, Sultanate of Oman
MacDonald M (1994) Detailed investigations for development of up to 1000 ha of irrigated land: Negd Region. Final Mathematical Modelling Report (Draft), Ministry of Water Resources, Sultanate of Oman
Macumber PG, Barghash BGS, Kew GA, Tennakoon TV (1995) Hydrogeologic implications of a cyclonic rainfall event in central Oman. In: Nash H, McCall GJH (eds) Groundwater quality. Chapman and Hall, London, pp 87–97
Macumber PG, Niwas JM, Al Abadi A, Seneviratne R (1997) A new isotopic water line for northen Oman. In: Proceedings of the Third Gulf Water Conference, Ministry of Water Resources, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Matter JM, Waber HN, Loew S, Matter A (2005) Recharge areas and geochemical evolution of groundwater in an alluvial aquifer system in the Sultanate of Oman. Hydrogeol J 14:203–224
MMI-Mott MacDonald International (1991) Detailed investigations for development of up to 1000ha of irrigated land: Nejd Region. Hydrogeology Interim Report (Final), Ministry of Water Resources, Sultanate of Oman
MPM (Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals) (1992a) Geological map of Marmul, sheet NE40-05 (scale 1:250,000), Oman. Directorate General of Minerals and Geological Survey of Japan, Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals, Sultanate of Oman
MPM (1992b) Geological map of Hawf, sheet NE39-16 (scale 1:250,000), Oman. Directorate General of Minerals and Geological Survey of Japan, Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals, Sultanate of Oman
MRMWR (2005) Drilling and aquifer testing project in the Western Al Wusta (Najd) Desert, Oman. Final Report, unpublished, Ministry of Regional Municipality and Water Resources, Sultanate of Oman
MWR (Ministry of Water Resources) (2000) Water resources assessment report for Najd area, Oman. Unpublished Report, Ministry of Water Resources, Sultanate of Oman
Odeh T, Salameh E, Schirmer M, Strauch G (2009) Structural control of groundwater flow regimes and groundwater chemistry along the lower reaches of the Zerka river, West Jordan, using remote sensing, GIS, and field methods. Environ Geol doi:10.1007/s00254-008-1678-1
Parkhurst DL (1995) User’s guide to PHREEQC-a computer program for speciation, reaction-path, advective-transport, and inverse geochemical calculations. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4227
PAWR (Public Authority for Water Resources) (1986) Regional hydrogeological evaluation of the Najd, Open File Rep CCEWR, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, pp 48–86
Roger J, Platel JP, Bourdillon-de-Crissac C, Cavelier C (1992) Geological of Dhofar (geology and geodynamic evolution during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic). Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals, Sultanate of Oman
Sunagawa I, Takahashi Y, Imai H (2007) Strontium and aragonite-calcite precipitation. J Mineral Petrol Sci 102:174–181
Tetra Tech International, Inc (1978) Groundwater system of Jabal Al Qara and its relation to the occurrence and quality of groundwater in adjacent Salalah coastal plain and Naj, PAWR, Sultanate of Oman
Watson H (1983) Thumrait water resources and treatment study. Sultanate of Oman, pp 1981–1983
Wood WW, Sanford WE, Al Habshi ARS (2002) The source of solutes to the coastal-sabkha aquifer of Abu Dhabi. Geol Soc Am Bull 114:259–268
Acknowledgments
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to his Excellency Abdullah bin Salim Al Ruwas, minister of Regional Municipality and Water Resources, and his undersecretary Eng. Ali Al Abri for their support and encouragement. Our thanks also go to the Departments of Groundwater and Surface Water, Water Resources in Dhofar, Laboratory of Water Quality, Manpower Center, Salalah Airport, GIS, DG of Environment and Climate Affairs in Dhofar, and DG of Water in Dhofar. We thank the staff of the UFZ-Departments Isotope Hydrology and Hydrogeology, Dr. Anke Hildebrandt for cooperation, and Dr. Andreas Musolff for his help with software analyses. Khalid Al-Mashaikhi thanks Abdullah Bawain, Mansoor Amer Jeed, Abdulaziz Al-Mushaikhi, Salim Alesh, Ghassan Al-Tamimi, and Ahmed Al Mawali for their support during sample collection. And last, we thank Brandon E. L. Morris for critical English suggestions.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Al-Mashaikhi, K., Oswald, S., Attinger, S. et al. Evaluation of groundwater dynamics and quality in the Najd aquifers located in the Sultanate of Oman. Environ Earth Sci 66, 1195–1211 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1331-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1331-2