Sustainability and Conceptual Groundwater Hydraulic Models of Basement Aquifers

Abstract

Abstract Groundwater flow of the basement terrains of the Ibarapa region was studied by carrying out pumping test and measurement of borehole inventory. The view was to identify the associated aquifer systems from the time-drawdown curves, quantify the estimable hydraulic properties and develop hypothetical models for the understanding of the groundwater flow in the area underlain by diverse crystalline bedrocks. Three aquifer types were identified namely, dual, leaky and regolith. The yield of groundwater in dual and leaky aquifers that dominated terrains underlain by amphibolite and gneisses was sustainable, but the discharge of regolith aquifers mainly associated with migmatite and granite terrains declined at late pumping stage. The transmissivities of the dual and leaky aquifers were between 2.02 and 11.65 m2/day, while those of regolith aquifers were mostly less than 1.00 m2/day. The average aquifer transmissivities in m2/day by bedrocks were: 6.85, 2.57, 0.76 and 1.72, correspondingly. The inter-relationships between transmissivities and groundwater discharge showed diverse aquifer representations, from sustainable high-yielding to unsustainable low-yielding types. Conscientious effort is, therefore, required for well construction in the area.