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Hydrochemistry and Quality of Groundwater Resources in Egypt: Case Study of the Egyptian Southern Oases

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Water Security in the Mediterranean Region

Abstract

Due to the arid climate of the southern part of Egypt, oases groundwater is a most precious natural resource, providing reliable water supplies for the ­population of these oases. This study aims to assess the quality of groundwater resources in the southern Egypt oases; Dahkla, Kahrga, and Uweinat, taking part from the Nubian Sandstone geological complex. Groundwater, which is a major source of water supply in the southern Egypt oases, is facing severe quantity and quality problems. The large concentrated agriculture constitutes the main source of its contamination. Water scarcity combined with the typically arid climate and the excessive use of soils for agriculture causes severe declining of the groundwater piezometric head levels, in addition to water salinity problems. However, groundwater remains acceptable for irrigation in the studied area.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to Agric. Eng. Soilman Mohamed (Uweinat Agriculture Company) and Mr. Mohamed Soilman Mohamed (Undergraduate student in Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Egypt and a Native citizen of Kahrga Oasis) for their help in KAP surveys and water samples collection.

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Correspondence to Anwar A. Aly .

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Aly, A.A., Abbas, A.A., Benaabidate, L. (2011). Hydrochemistry and Quality of Groundwater Resources in Egypt: Case Study of the Egyptian Southern Oases. In: Scozzari, A., El Mansouri, B. (eds) Water Security in the Mediterranean Region. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1623-0_17

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