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Gravity based estimates of modern recharge of the Sudanese area

Research Authors
Ahmed Mohamed
Research Abstract

The North Africa region is seeking water resources to develop agricultural expansions and land reclamation
projects based on the groundwater resources. Monthly (April 2002–July 2016) terrestrial water storage (TWS)
solutions of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) along with other datasets were used to
monitor and estimate the variations in groundwater storage over the Sudanese area and its sections. Results
indicate: (1) the Sudanese area, Southern Sudan and Northern Sudan sections are receiving an average recharge
of +4.15 ± 1.07, +2.46 ± 1.69, and +4.74 ± 0.76 mm/yr, respectively during the analysed period, taking
into an account the annual extraction rate of 0.67 ± 0.067, 1.04 ± 0.104 and 0.54 ± 0.054 mm/yr from the
Sudanese area, Southern Sudan and Northern Sudan sections, respectively, (2) and the average groundwater
storage variations of +3.35 ± 1.07, +1.21 ± 1.69 and +4.09 ± 0.76 mm/yr from the Sudanese area,
Southern Sudan and Northern Sudan sections, respectively, and (3) the assumed natural discharge of
−0.13 ± 0.013, −0.21 ± 0.021, and −0.11 ± 0.011 mm/yr from the Sudanese area, Southern Sudan and
Northern Sudan sections, respectively. (4) The average precipitation of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission data
over the Sudanese area, Southern Sudan and Northern Sudan sections was estimated at 520.2, 1165.6 and
300.3 km3/yr, respectively. (5) The ground surface relief is forming northeastward streams taking the surface
water away to the river. (6) The groundwater flows to the southernmost part of Egypt is impeded by the
Uweinat-Aswan basement uplift and the thinned sedimentary cover in northern Sudan and southern Egypt,
which in turn flows northeastward to the river. (7) The integrated study is informative and cost-effective model
for best estimating the recharge rate of large areas.

Research Department
Research Journal
Journal of African Earth Sciences
Research Publisher
NULL
Research Rank
1
Research Vol
163
Research Website
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2019.103740
Research Year
2020
Research Pages
NULL