Simulation of Groundwater Contaminant Transport in the Ameki Aquifer Domain of Anambra State, South Eastern Nigeria

Authors

  • A.A. Adegbola Department of Civil Engineering Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Ogbomoso, Nigeria
  • O.A. Agbede Department of Civil Engineering University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

Keywords:

Groundwater flow, simulation, contaminant transport, particle-tracking

Abstract

About 95% of water schemes located within the Ameki aquifer domain of Anambra State depend on groundwater exploitation. Provision of potable water to the generality of communities within the domain was grossly inadequate, based on reliable community population statistics. Dependence on untreated surface water in some places gave rise to water borne diseases. Groundwater flow and contaminant transport models were developed to evaluate the movement of hypothetical contaminants within the Ameki aquifer in Anambra State.  Hypothetical particle-tracking simulations revealed that water high in dissolved solids concentration moved from the designed contaminant source, Ogbakuba community in Ogbaru Local Government Area, toward the nearest pumped well situated at Nza Community in Ekwusigo Local Government Area. Introduced contaminant particles moved a distance of 950m from 1979 to 1999. Results of the hypothetical  simulation for the 1979-2050 period showed that by 2050 most of the particles introduced in Ogbakuba Community would have moved about 1200m, reaching the nearest well at Nza Community. The results indicated that with continued pumping the hypothetical contaminant particles will eventually extend to reach more production wells as cone of depression of well fields increases.  The paper preliminarily assessed the implication of exploiting groundwater reserve, without recourse to the effects of sustained pumping on the aquifer system. Other factors governing the transport of solute in groundwater such as dispersion and chemical reaction were not considered.

Author Biographies

A.A. Adegbola, Department of Civil Engineering Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Ogbomoso, Nigeria

Department of Civil Engineering

Ladoke Akintola University of Technology

Ogbomoso, Nigeria

O.A. Agbede, Department of Civil Engineering University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

Department of Civil Engineering

University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

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Published

2009-11-01

How to Cite

Adegbola, A., & Agbede, O. (2009). Simulation of Groundwater Contaminant Transport in the Ameki Aquifer Domain of Anambra State, South Eastern Nigeria. Ife Journal of Technology, 18(2), 5–10. Retrieved from https://ijt.oauife.edu.ng/index.php/ijt/article/view/29