Masters Theses

Abstract

"The area studied in this investigation, located in Tripolitania, Libya, between 13º and 16º east longitude and 31º and 33º north latitude, covers about 42,000 square kilometers. It is divided topographically into two parts. They are the coastal zone to the north and the Jebel (plateau) zone to the south. Some wadis which rise in the Jebel drain northward across the area to the sea. The temperature in the area ranges from 5ºC to 19ºC in the winter and from 19ºC to 40ºC in the summer. Precipitation in the area ranges from 380 millimeters to less than 100 millimeters. The area is underlain by unconsolidated sediments and semiconsolidated rocks which dip gently seaward (northward). These are limestone, marl, sandstone, sandy limestone and quartz sand. They are Mesozoic, Tertiary, Quaternary and Recent in age. The principal aquifers in the area are the Quaternary water-bearing formations which supply the shallow wells. Miocene aquifers supply artesian wells. The source of fresh water in the area is precipitation which recharges the water-bearing formations by direct infiltration from precipitation or surface run-off in wadis. The amount of recharge is probably between 4 and 6 percent of precipitation. Groundwater discharge occurs both by natural and artificial means. The total discharge of groundwater from wells in the area is about 400 million cubic meters per year. Yield of individual wells in the area ranges from about one m³ per hour to as much as 300 m³ per hour. Quaternary aquifers have a permeability of about 2.3 m³/hr/m². Their transmissibilities range from 35 m³/hr/m at Az Zahra to about 398 m³/hr/m at Bin Ghashir. Storage coefficients range from 0.00003 at El Guea near Qarahbulli to 0.036 at Bin Ghashir. The author estimated the amount of fresh water loss to the sea by surface runoff from the area to be 138 x 10⁶ m³/yr and by subsurface flow near Aqaba Air Force Base and Qarahbulli at 15 x 10⁶ m³/yr. Considerable attention was given to the water levels in wells. The rate of water level decline was 0.25 m/yr for shallow wells and 0.5 m/yr for artesian wells near Aqaba Air Force Base, and 0.16 m/yr for shallow wells and 0.5 m/yr for artesian wells near Qarahbulli. There is no indication of major sea water intrusion in the area but groundwater contamination by sources other than sea water is evident"--Abstract, pages ii-iii.

Advisor(s)

Maxwell, James C.

Committee Member(s)

Beveridge, Thomas R. (Thomas Robinson), 1918-1978
Vaughn, George E., Jr., 1925-1997

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Degree Name

M.S. in Geology

Sponsor(s)

Libyan Arab Republic government

Publisher

University of Missouri--Rolla

Publication Date

1971

Pagination

ix, 84 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 51-53).

Geographic Coverage

Libya

Rights

© 1971 Mohammed Ahmed Attiga, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Subject Headings

Water levels -- LibyaWater levels -- Measurement -- Mathematical models

Thesis Number

T 2568

Print OCLC #

6034252

Electronic OCLC #

871698542

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