Shallow water table rise and fluctuation between 1977 and 2010 in Madinah City, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

AbstractMadinah City in Saudi Arabia is rapidly growing with high population growth, water demand, sewage generation, and agricultural activities. The hydrogeological layering sequence in Madinah City reveals that there are three main layers that extend within the areas between wadi systems. The shallow water table rise (SWTR) problem has risen in several areas of the city, and the fluctuations in the piezometric water observed from the shallow aquifer systems. The research aims to investigate the changes in shallow groundwater levels within the Madinah City. Sources of water table rise and fluctuations are investigated through an extensive field hydro-geological survey comprising wells drilling and water level monitoring, which indicated the following results between 1977 and 2010 including those of newly drilled wells: (i) water flow is partially blocked along wadi Alaqiq and this has caused an increased regional flow moving from west along wadi Alaqiq towards the central area; (ii) groundwater levels have changed in the agricultural areas as indicated by 15–26 m rise along wadi Alaqiq; (iii) groundwater level fluctuations as indicated by 590 m amsl (1977) against less than 575 m amsl (2010) in the east and southeast of the study area as a result of increased heavy pumping since past 37 years. The overall flow phenomenon is reflected in the groundwater gradients on an increasing trend with orientation from the western region along the wadi Alaqiq towards the central area and southeast which has invariably resulted in the overall declining of water levels throughout the affected area.