Abstract
Groundwater is the most important source of water supply in Sidi Bouzid plain located in central Tunisia. Proper understanding of the geochemical evolution of groundwater is important for sustainable development of water resources in this region. A hydrogeochemical survey was conducted on the Mio–Plio–Quaternary aquifer system using stable isotopes, radiocarbon, tritium and major elements, in order to evaluate the groundwater chemistry patterns and the main mineralization processes occurring in this system. The chemical data indicate that dissolution of evaporate minerals and evaporation are the main processes controlling groundwater mineralization. The isotopic data show that groundwater in the study area is a mixture of recent shallow waters located upstream and along Wadi Al Fakka bed and paleowaters located towards plain limits and discharge areas. Low 3H and 14C contents are observed in major part of the plain indicating that recharge of the aquifer occurs mainly through direct infiltration at Wadi Al Fakka while there is no evidence of significant recharge in major part of the plain and mountains piedmonts.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amouri M (1994) Etude hydrogéologique du système aquifère de Sidi Bouzid, DGRE, Tunisia
Bédir M (1995) Mécanismes géodynamiques des bassins associés aux couloirs de coulissement de la marge atlasique de la Tunisie, sismostratigraphie, sismo-tectonique et implications petrolières. D.Sc. Thesis, Univ. Tunis II, p 315
Ben Ammar S, Zouari K, Leduc C, M’barek J (2006) Caractérisation isotopique de la relation barrage-nappe dans le bassin de Merguellil (Plaine de Kairouan, Tunisie centrale). HSJ 51(2):272–284
Ben Ayed N (1986) Evolution tectonique de l’Avant—pays de la chaîne alpine de Tunisie du Mésozoïque a` l’Actuel. D.Sc. Thesis, Univ. Paris Sud Orsay, p 327
Ben Youssef M (1999) Stratigraphie génétique du Crétacé de Tunisie, Micropaléontologie, stratigraphie séquentielle et géodynamique des bassins de la marge sud et péri-téthysienne. D.Sc. Thesis. Univ. de Tunis II, p 420
Boukadi N (1994) Structuration de l’Atlas de Tunisie: signification des noeuds et des zones d’interférences structurales au contact des grands couloirs tectoniques. D.Sc. Thesis. Univ. Tunis II, p 249
Bouraoui S (1984) Impact des eaux des rejets de l’usine de cellulose de Kasserine (Tunisie) sur l’environnement. PhD Thesis, University of Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 6, France
Bouzaiane S, Lafforgue A (1981) Etude générale de la propagation des crues sur la branche sud de l’oued Zéroud; effet de la plaine de Sidi Bouzid. DRES, OSTROM. Tunisia 01-45
Burollet PF (1956) Contribution dans l’étude stratigraphique de la Tunisie centrale. Ann Min Geo 18, Tunisia
Celle H, Zouari K, Travi Y, Daoud A (2001) Caractérisation isotopique des pluies en Tunisie. Essaie de typologie dans la région de Sfax. CR Acad Sci Paris 6:625–631
Chekhma H (1996) Etudes stratigraphiques, sédimentologiques et tectoniques de la région de Bir El Hafey—Sidi Ali Ben Aoun (Tunisie centrale). Thèse Univ. Tunis II, p 247
Clark ID, Fritz P (1997) Environmental isotopes in hydrogeology, Lewis Publishers, New York, p 328
Craig H (1961) Isotopic variation in meteoric waters. Sciences 133:1702–1703
Dassi L (2004) Etude hydrogéologique, hydrochimique et isotopique du système aquifère du bassin de Sbeitla (Tunisie centrale). PhD Thesis, Sfax University, Tunisia
El Amri R (1992) Contribution à l’étude hydrogéologique du bassin de l’oued El Hchim-Garaa Hamra. (Région de Kasserine. Tunisie). PhD Thesis, Hydrogeology, University of paris du sud, France
Fontes JC (1971) Un ensemble destiné à la mesure de l’activité du radiocarbone naturel par scintillation liquide. Rev Geog Phys Géol Dyn 13(1):67–86
Jribi L (2004) Caractérisation hydrochimique et isotopique des eaux du système aquifère du bassin de Zéroud (Plaine de Kairouan, Tunisie centrale). PhD Thesis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis
Kamel S, Dassi L, Zouari K (2006) Approche hydrogéologique et hydrochimique des échanges hydrodynamiques entre aquifères profond et superficiel dans le bassin de Djérid, Tunisie. HSJ 51(4):713–729
Khessibi M (1978) Etude géologique du secteur Meknessy-Mezouna et du Jebel El Kebar (Tunisie centrale). MSc Thesis, University of Claude Bernard, Lyon
Koschel R (1980) Etude hydrogéologique de la nappe de Hajeb Layoun—Jilma—Ouled Askar. Projet de coopération technique Tuniso-Allemande No 6520/7, DRES, Agricultral ministry 01-245
Lafforgue A (1981) Etude hydrologique de l’oued Negada à la station de Bled Lassoued. DRES, OSTROM, Tunis, Tunisia 01-145
Maliki MA (2000) Etude hyrogéologique, hydrochimique et isotopique du système aquifère de Sfax (Tunisie). Doc. Thesis, Tunis II University, Tunis, Tunisia
Maliki MA, Krimissa M, Michelot JL, Zouari K (2000) Relationship between shallow and deep aquifers in the Sfax bassin. Earth Planet Sci 331:1–6
Mannaï-Tayech B (2006) Miocene silicoclastic series from North-Eastern to South-Western of Tunisia: standpoint. Geobios 39:71–84
Ouda B (2000) Paleohydrologie isotopique du bassin de Maknassy. (Tunisie Centrale) pendant le quaternaire récent, PhD Thesis, University of Sfax, Tunisia
Piper AM (1944) A graphic procedure in the geochemical interpretation of water analyses. Trans Am Geophys Union 25:914–923
Plummer LN, Jones BF, Truesdell AH (1976) WATEQF, a Fortan IV version of WATEQ, a computer program for calculating chemical equilibrium of natural waters. US Geol surv water Resour Invest 76:61
RE DG (2005) Annuaire d’exploitation des nappes phréatiques. Tunis, Tunisia
Simonot M (1996) Plaine de Sidi Bouzid : Etude de l’impact de l’épandage des crues sur la recharge de la nappe phréatique. Final rapport, DGRE, Tunisia, FIDA, Rome, Italy 01-40
Taylor CB (1977) Tritium enrichment of environmental waters by electrolysis: development of cathodes exhibiting high isotopic separation and precise measurements and applications. High Tatras, Czechoslovakia, October 1975, Bratislava
Taylor RE (1987) Radiocarbon dating. An archaeological perspective. Academic Press, Orlando
Zouaghi T (2008) Distribution des sequences de depot du Crétacé (Aptien—Maastrichtien) en subsurface: role de la deformation tectonique, l’halocinèse et evolution géodynamique (Atlas Central Tunisien), PhD Thesis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunisi
Zouaghi T, Bédir M, Abdallah H, Hédi Inoubli M (2008) seismic sequence stratigraphy, basin structuring, and hydrocarbon implications of Cretaceous deposits (Albian—Maastrichtian) in central Tunisia. Cretaceous Research 2008.02.05, pp 1–21
Zouari K, Chkir N, Ouda B (2003) Paleoclimatic variation in Maknassi basin (central Tunisia) during Holocene period using pluridisciplinary approaches. Tech Report 28–80. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank IAEA and LRAE teams for their help in performing of isotopic and geochemical analyses.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yangui, H., Zouari, K., Trabelsi, R. et al. Recharge mode and mineralization of groundwater in a semi-arid region: Sidi Bouzid plain (central Tunisia). Environ Earth Sci 63, 969–979 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-010-0771-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-010-0771-4