Geophysical Investigation for Groundwater Potential and Aquifer Protective Capacity around Osun State University (UNIOSUN) College of Health Sciences

Olusegun O. Alabi¹, Adeolu Olabanji Ojo^2, and Dolapo F. Akinpelu¹

¹Department of Physics, Solid Earth Physics Research Laboratory, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria

²Department of Geological Sciences, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria

Cite this paper

Olusegun O. Alabi, Adeolu Olabanji Ojo and Dolapo F. Akinpelu. Geophysical Investigation for Groundwater Potential and Aquifer Protective Capacity around Osun State University (UNIOSUN) College of Health Sciences. American Journal of Water Resources. 2016; 4(6):137-143. doi: 10.12691/AJWR-4-6-3

Abstract

Geophysical investigation was carried out around the University Health Sciences of the Osun State University, Osogbo using the Schlumberger technique of the electrical resistivity method. The aim of the study was to evaluate the groundwater potential and to access how protected the aquifer in the area could be to surface pollutants. Four (4) vertical electric sounding (VES) data were acquired within the study area. The VES data acquired were interpreted using the WinResist iterative software. The result revealed KHA-type curve in VES 2, VES 3 and VES 4 with aquifer resistivity values of 97.6 Ωm, 20.7 Ωm and 142.2 Ωm respectively and HA-type in VES 1 with aquifer resistivity of 27.5 Ωm. The area under investigation consists of a lateritic topsoil of varying thicknesses which is underlain by a weathered layer and finally the fresh basement. VES 4 is would yield considerable amount of groundwater if developed to a depth of between 15 m to 20 m to take advantage of the basement fractures due to its thick aquiferous zone and the very low resistivity exhibited by the aquifer layer. The result also shows that the aquifers in VES 1 and VES 4 shows evidence of weak aquifer protective capacity having longitudinal conductance of 0.149 and 0.129 respectively with corresponding transverse resistance of 112.75 and 780.80. This suggests that the study area might show good potential for groundwater but the groundwater is not safe. For groundwater development, adequate measure should be made to establish water treatment facility.

Keywords

UNIOSUN, health sciences, aquifer, resistivity, protective, thickness, groundwater

Copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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