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| Titel |
Using stable isotopes and multi-spatial variable parameters in characterising the karstic aquifer of the Ajloun area, NW-Jordan - A case study of the Tanour and Rasoun springs |
| VerfasserIn |
Ibraheem Hamdan, Bettina Wiegand, Thomas Ptak, Tobias Licha, Mathias Toll, Armin Margane, Martin Sauter |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2015
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 17 (2015) |
| Datensatznummer |
250102602
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 EGU/EGU2015-1982.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Key words: Karst systems, Groundwater vulnerability, Stable isotopes, Jordan.
Water resources are extremely scarce in Jordan, which is considered as one of the poorest
countries in the world with respect to water resources availability (UNDP 2014), with more
than 90% of the country receiving less than 200 mm/year of rainfall (Al Kharadsheh et al.
2012).
The most important aquifer for drinking-water purposes in Jordan is the upper Cretaceous
limestone aquifer. The karstic springs of Tanour and Rasoun, located in the Ajloun
governorate around 75 kilometres northwest of the capital of Amman, have been selected for
this study. These springs are the main source for the local domestic water supply, with an
average discharge between the years 2000 and 2012 of 200 m3/h and 60 m3/h, respectively
(MWI, 2013).
During the past few years, the water supply from these two springs had to be discontinued
due to high contamination of the groundwater either by microbiological contaminants or by
wastewater from local olive oil presses. This wastewater is locally called “Zeebar”.
Understanding of the karst aquifer system, the pathways and movement within the epikarst,
and estimation of the travel and residence time within the aquifer is important for managing
and evaluating the pollution risk, which affects the usability of groundwater for drinking
purposes.
For a better understanding of the karstic system and its behaviour, different methods are
applied:
1. Analysis of the stable isotope composition of δ2H and δ18O during the winter season for
both (a) Tanour and Rasoun groundwater, and (b) rainfall samples collected from several
locations at different elevations within the catchment.
2. Analysis of major ion concentrations in groundwater of the Tanour and Rasoun
springs.
3. Long-term measurements of different physico-chemical parameters from the Tanour and
Rasoun springs (temperature, conductivity, turbidity, TOC, etc.) using multiparameter probes
with telemetric data transfer.
4. Application of a travel time-based groundwater vulnerability method, and other different
groundwater vulnerability methods for karst systems.
The resulting data will be processed and used as spatially variable parameters for determining
the karst aquifer characteristics within the study area. The springs show a rapid response to
rainfall events which reflects a fast travel time and short residence time in the karst
aquifer.
References
• Al Kharadsheh E, Akroush S and Mazahreh S (2012) Land Degradation in Jordan – Review
of Knowledge Resources, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas
(ICARDA), OASIS Country Report 1.
• MWI – Ministry of Water and Irrigation (2013) Discharge Data for Tanour and Rasoun
Springs, Water Information System, National Master Plan Directorate, Amman,
Jordan.
• UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) (2014, September) About Jordan,
http://www.jo.undp.org/content/jordan/en/home/countryinfo/ |
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