TITLE:
Quality Assessment and Evaluation of Groundwater Potentials in Parts of Buruku and Gboko Local Government Area Councils in Benue State
AUTHORS:
Chukwuemeka Ngozi Ehirim, Chioma Nwankwo
KEYWORDS:
Groundwater, Aquifer, Resistivity, Hydraulic Conductivity and Transmissivity
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Geosciences,
Vol.7 No.9,
September
16,
2016
ABSTRACT: Hydraulic
and layer parameters of groundwater aquifer have been evaluated in parts of
Buruku and Gboko local government area councils, for the primary purpose of assessing
quality and potential of groundwater in the areas. A total of 18 Vertical Electrical
Sounding (VES) stations were occupied along traverse lines using the Schlumberger
electrode configuration. The results revealed a characteristic QQA, QHH and QH
type curves, with 6 - 7 geoelectric subsurface
layers. The geoelectric layers are dominantly sandy with intercalations of
shale at shallow depths in most stations. The aquiferous layers were delineated
at the fourth and fifth geoelectric layers with average aquifer resistivity and
depth of 420.56 Ω·m and
69.1 m,
respectively. Groundwater flow is generally from the northeast to the southwest
in line with the tectonics of the Benue trough. Two potential groundwater zones
were delineated. These are the zone of poor quality water to the north
(central) and east of the area of high potential and the zone of quality
groundwater to the northeast, west and southwest of low potential. The study
revealed that productive boreholes for excellent and sustainable yields were more viable in the northern
(central) and eastern parts of the study area than in the northeast, west and southwest parts.