Investigation of Groundwater Potential in New Jerusalem area of Damaturu, Yobe State Nigeria, using electrical resistivity method.

Abstract

The increasing trend in borehole failures and the general decline in groundwater levels and borehole yields due to climate change mostly in semi-arid regions such as Damaturu in Yobe State, needs an urgent intervention in order to sustain the provision of quality drinking water to the populace. In this study, we investigated the groundwater potential of New Jerusalem in Damaturu, Yobe State, using electrical resistivity method. The results obtained showed that the study area is composed of five (5) geoelectric layers which include the Topsoil, Clay, Sand, Sandy-clay and Sand. The third and the fifth layers were the aquifers in the study area. The first aquifer is semi-confined and the second aquifer is confined. The results obtained from this study area correlated perfectly with existing borehole data from the study area. The results of this study indicated that the second aquifer which is located at an average depth of 147 m below the Earth surface in most parts of the study area is the best source of quality drinking water in the area. The average thickness of the first layer is 1.2m and its average resistivity is 183 Ωm. The second layer has an average resistivity of 50 Ωm and an average thickness of 8.32 m. The third layer has an average resistivity of 301 Ωm and an average thickness of 57.5 m and an average depth of 67 m. The fourth layer has an average thickness of 81 m with an average resistivity of 148.2 Ωm. The average resistivity of the fifth layer is 285.4 Ωm. The thickness of the aquifer in the study area shows that the study area has good groundwater potential. Based on the findings of this study, we therefore recommend that boreholes for quality drinking water in the study area should be drilled to a depth of 140 m and above into the second aquifer.