Abbas M. Sharaky

Nile and Groundwater Interaction in the Western Nile Delta, Egypt

Groundwater is the main source for domestic, industrial, and agriculture uses in most of the new reclaimed areas in the western Nile Delta region, which affects the groundwater quality. The hydrochemistry of major ions (K+, Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl−, SO4 2−, HCO3 −, CO3 2−) together with trace elements (Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni) has been used to constrain the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater, western Nile Delta aquifers. The total of 108 groundwater wells, varying in depth from 27.5 to 120 m, have been examined and sampled to carry out the physico-chemical parameters and chemical compositions of the groundwater and to obtain additional information on the possible interaction with the Nile water. This chapter deals also with water quality and contamination with nutrients (NO3 −, PO4 2−, NH4 +) and trace elements (heavy metals). The groundwater is slightly alkaline with pH’s ranging from 7.11 to 8.65 with an average of 7.9. The salinity of the groundwater as a total dissolved solid (TDS) ranges from 430 mg/L (freshwater) in some parts of the Quaternary aquifer to 24,407 mg/L (saline water) in the northwestern Nile Delta with an average of 2,705 mg/L (brackish water). It increases gradually north- and westwards due to seawater intrusion and mixing with the Miocene aquifer, respectively. The freshwater is mainly concentrated in the central-eastern part, close to Rosetta branch. The chloride (Cl−) and sulfate (SO4 2−) ions acquire the higher concentrations of the anions, while sodium (Na+), calcium (Ca2+), and magnesium (Mg2+) acquire the higher concentrations of the cations. The concentrations of the major ions are higher than the maximum standard limits, according to the World Health Organization (WHO, International program on chemical safety). The nutrient content of phosphates is also higher than the maximum standard values, while nitrate is in the critical level. The maximum concentration of nutrients was mainly recorded in the old cultivated lands, indicating the contamination from irrigation water. The concentrations of the trace elements are lower than the standard limits except for iron, manganese, and nickel. The hydrochemical composition reflects the Na-HCO3 water type for the Quaternary aquifer, indicating recent meteoric water. Another major water type (Na-Cl) is recorded in the high salinity areas of northern and western parts. According to the US Salinity Laboratory diagram, most of the groundwaters are located in the high salinity and low sodium hazard zone. The groundwater has <1.25 meq/L RSC, which is good quality and suitable for using in irrigation for all types of soils.

Salinization and Origin of the Coastal Shallow Groundwater Aquifer, Northwestern Nile Delta, Egypt

Serious salinization problem is affecting the northern Nile Delta basin and its groundwater aquifers. The hydrochemistry of major ions (K+, Na+, Mg+, Ca2+, Cl−, SO42−, HCO3−, CO32−) and the trace elements (Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni) have been used to constrain the hydrochemical characteristics, source, and salinization processes of the shallow coastal aquifer, northwestern Nile Delta. Twenty groundwater wells, varying in depth from 17 to 40 m, had been examined and sampled to carry out the physicochemical parameters and chemical compositions of the groundwater and to obtain additional information on the possible contamination with major elements, trace elements (heavy metals), and nutrients (NH4+, NO3−, PO42−).

Assessment of Water Quality and Bed Sediments of the Nile River from Aswan to Assiut, Egypt

The Nile River water quality and its bed sediments were studied for two successive years (2011 and 2012) at ten sites along the Nile River from Aswan to Assiut during low and high flow conditions. Physical and chemical water quality parameters were measured according to the standard methods, such as temperature, turbidity, water electrical conductivity (EC), total suspended solids (TSS) and total dissolved solids (TDS), pH value, dissolved oxygen (DO), nutrients, biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), major anions and cations, hardness, heavy metals, and fecal coliform bacteria. The water quality along the Nile in the study area is classified as medium to good quality. It changes from low to high flow and from one place to another according to human activities. The water pollution was higher during the low flow than the high flow except for the nutrients due to low agricultural activities during low flow periods. However, in general, the Nile River water quality was suitable for human consumption and other domestic uses according to the WHO standards. The bed-sediment samples were used for grain size analysis, pH measurements, organic matter content, phosphates, nitrates, and heavy metals (lead, cadmium, nickel, zinc, iron, manganese, copper, and barium). This chapter inspects the water quality of the Nile River and pollution of its bed sediments in Egypt.

Ecohydrogeological Challenges on Ethiopian Water Projects and Their Impacts on Annual Water Share of Egypt: Case Study of Tekeze Dam

Ecohydrogeology provides detailed instructions among water (surface or groundwater), geology, environment, and biological processes to improve water security. Ecohydrogeological challenges are dominant in the territory of Ethiopia. According to the 1959 treaty with Sudan, the annual water share of Egypt is 55.5 km3.

Groundwater Assessment for Agricultural Irrigation in Toshka Area, Western Desert, Egypt

Toshka area is located southeastern of the Western Desert. In 1997, Egypt established a development project to irrigate 216,000 ha (540 feddan) by 2017 through pumping surface water from High Dam Lake as a part of the mega project “Developing Southern Egypt.” Currently, the Egyptian government plans to extend the project by about 100,000 feddan depending on surface water irrigation and 25,000 feddan depending on groundwater (through 102 wells) as a part of the recent mega project called “1.5 Million Feddan Project.” Egypt is now fully utilizing its annual share of the Nile waters 55.5 km3 from the Nile, and it has a shortage of water estimated at 20 km3.

Impact of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on Gezira Groundwater, Sudan

The Gezira area has one of the most massive agricultural projects in the world. Groundwater is one of the most critical water resources in Sudan. About 80% of the people in Sudan depend mainly on groundwater. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is under construction on the Blue Nile at 15 km from the Sudan’s border, creating a reservoir of 74 km3. The environmental studies of the GERD effect on Egypt and Sudan are vague. The present paper deals with the assessment of groundwater in Gezira using geochemical analysis, stable isotopes, remote sensing, and GIS. The impact of land use/land cover on groundwater quality was studied using supervised classification techniques of multidates (multitemporal) satellite images. Also, it covers the investigation of water interaction between the surface water and Gezira groundwater aquifer. The surface water includes the White Nile and the Blue Nile that will be controlled entirely by the GERD. If there is a direct recharge from the Blue Nile, the GERD will increase the recharge because it will keep the water in the Blue Nile always at a high level all year, resulting in increasing the seepage to the aquifer. The agriculture will also be all over the year, so water infiltration to groundwater will be increased. The major ions, nitrate, ammonium, heavy metals, and stable isotopes (δD and δ18O) were measured to achieve these goals. The results of hydrochemical data were mapped using ArcGIS 10.3 and Aquachem software. The results indicated that there are no any evidence for the groundwater pollution resulted from the anthropogenic activities in the study area. Although agricultural projects have been started with full capacity, since 1960, the pollution traces were not detected. The stable isotopes of the 2H and 18O confirmed that the groundwater of the Nubian aquifer in the study area is recharged from the Blue Nile through the Gezira aquifer. Moreover, away from the Blue Nile, the influence of recharge is negligible, but the water of the Nubian aquifer still mixed with water of heavy isotopic composition. The chemical and physical characteristics of groundwater indicate that the GERD will increase the recharge because it will keep the water in the Blue Nile always at a high level all year, resulting in increasing the seepage to the aquifer. The agriculture in Sudan will also be all over the year, so water infiltration to groundwater will be increased.

Model-Based Optimization for Operating the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile River

Ethiopia has proposed different plans and conducted studies for dam projects on the Blue Nile, but the storage capacity required for such large dams is much higher than the capability of the Blue. Ethiopia unilaterally announced its plan to build the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile at the very same location of the Border Dam. It increased the storage capacity from 11.1 to 74 billion cubic meter (BCM), which represents 1.5 times the annual flow of the Blue Nile at the Sudanese border and produces 6,450 MW of hydropower. The dam will have negative impacts on the downstream countries, especially shortage in water supply and hydropower generation during filling and operation.

Financial analysis of NF membranes for upgrading municipal wastewater treatment

AbstractNanofiltration (NF) membranes represent state-of-the-art membrane processes with numerous significant applications. In this paper, worldwide reported financial data on capital, operating (O&M) and unit costs were gathered, screened, and analyzed. New cost functions have been developed incorporating plant capacity and NF recovery. Further, software (NFSTP) was developed for performance and cost evaluation from the verified models. Analysis of the data represented by NF cost models indicate that the unit cost of NF treatment for secondary treated wastewater decreases by about 11%, when plant capacity is doubled from 50,000 to 100,000 m3/d for the same recovery. Moreover, the change in recovery above 70% would not significantly affect the capital, O&M, and unit costs. Application of NF system to the case of El-Gabal El-Asfar municipal wastewater treatment plant in Egypt using the developed software (NFSTP) indicates a unit cost of 0.253 

Kinetic study and techno-economic indicators for base catalyzed transesterification of Jatropha oil

/m3 for an operational module of 100,000 m3/d.