An integrated technique for delineating groundwater contaminated zones using geophysical and remote sensing techniques: a case study of Al-Quway’iyah, central Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Geophysical and remote sensing techniques were carried out to raise the groundwater quality and delineate expected contaminated zones near an open-waste disposal site in Al-Quway’iyah, central Saudi Arabia. An extracted digital elevation model (DEM) from very high resolution (VHR) satellite images was used to define the surface lineaments and prevailing flow path directions present in the study area. Remote sensing results indicated that groundwater in the Al-Quway’iyah metropolitan area flows through a complex network of interconnected fractures, which are controlled by the regional geological and structural settings of the area. Seismic refraction profiling was applied to delineate the depth to the groundwater table and bedrocks, and to locate those faults that may provide pathways to contaminants associated with the open-waste disposal site in the survey area. The results showed that possible subsurface groundwater contamination zones are mainly associated with weaker–fractured zones underlying the surface lineaments. This survey suggests that adequate integration of remote sensing and seismic refraction data can be applied to map spatial distribution of contaminants efficiently. It can facilitate future studies to be conducted for environment and human health hazard appraisal.