Constant Chuma, Oluwagbenga O. I. Orimoogunje, Dumisani J. Hlatywayo, Joseph O. Akinyede

Show more
African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in English,Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Applied Sciences, National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
Show less

Abstract: This study is concerned with the identification and delineation of aquiferous zones for potential groundwater development across Bulawayo Metropolitan from remotely sensed data and geological inference. Attempts have been made to review literatures on groundwater exploitation in the study area and the constraints to effective and sustainable management of underground water in the study area. Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is useful in the recognition and delineation of aquiferous zones for potential groundwater in crystalline basement aquifers. LANDSAT ETM+ image, SRTM data, aeromagnetic data and other ancillary data sets were utilized to extract information on the groundwater storing controlling features of this study area. Six thematic maps were produced from remote sensing data and other ancillary data—Land use/landcover, drainage density, slope map, contact density, lithology and lineament density. GIS modeling technique of the index overlay method was used to produce the groundwater potential map. The study revealed that the regional lineaments correlate with faults, fracture zones, and lithological contrasts along fold belts in the crystalline basement rocks, while the main direction of faulting and jointing is north-north-west to north with several faults oriented, to the north-north-east, parallel to the Great Dyke. Proximity to lineaments is the highest zone of increased porosity and permeability which in turn have a greater chance of accumulating groundwater. The results have shown massive spatial variability of ground water potential ranging from very good to poor. The variability closely followed variations in the structures, geology, topography/slope, drainage density and land use/land cover in the project area. This work is a reconnaissance which needs to be validated by the use of high-resolution terrain data and satellite imagery and the quantitative analysis should be done using geophysical and hydrogeological surveys.

Keywords: Groundwater Potential; Lineaments; Remote Sensing; GIS; Crystalline Basement; Aquifer; Bulawayo Metropolitan

Cite this paper: C. Chuma, O. Orimoogunje, D. Hlatywayo and J. Akinyede, "Application of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems in Determining the Groundwater Potential in the Crystalline Basement of Bulawayo Metropolitan Area, Zimbabwe," Advances in Remote Sensing, Vol. 2 No. 2, 2013, pp. 149-161. doi: 10.4236/ars.2013.22019.

References

[1]   E. P. Wright, “The Hydrogeology of Crystalline Basement Aquifers in Africa,” In: E. P. Wright and W. G. Burgess, Eds., The Hydrogeology of Crystalline Basement Aquifers in Africa, Geological Society Special Publication, London, 1992, pp. 1-27.

[2]   P. J. Chilton and S. S. D. Foster, “Hydrogeological Characterisation and Water-Supply Potential of Basement Aquifers in Tropical Africa,” Hydrologeology Journal, Vol. 3, No. 1, 1995, pp. 36-49. doi:10.1007/s100400050061

[3]   D. Banks and N. S. Robins, “An Introduction to Groundwater in Crystalline Bedrock,” Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim, 2002.

[4]   F. Rusinga and A. E. Taigbenu, “Groundwater Resource Evaluation of Urban Bulawayo Aquifer,” Water SA, Vol. 31, No. 1, 2004, pp. 23-34.

[5]   E. Martinelli and G. L. Hubert, “Hydrogeology. A Report to the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources and Development, National Master Plan for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation,” Interconsult/Norad, Vol. 2, 1985, pp. 109-114.

[6]   J. M. C. Weaver, J. Conrad and J. F. P. Engelbrecht, “The Matsheumhlope Wellfield Project, Wellfield Evaluation after Phase 1 Drilling for Bulawayo City Water Supply,” Matabeleland Chamber of Industries, Bulawayo, 1992.

[7]   E. Mangore and A. E. Taigbenu, “Land-Use Impacts on the Quality of Groundwater in Bulawayo,” Water SA, Vol. 30, No. 4, 2004, pp. 453-464 doi:10.4314/wsa.v30i4.5097

[8]   E. Mangore, “Monitoring and Evaluation of Bulawayo Aquifers,” Unpublished M.Phil. Thesis, Library of National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, 2002.

[9]   I. Muchingami, J. D. Hlatywayo and J. M. Nel, “Electrical Resistivity Survey for Groundwater Investigations and Shallow Subsurface Evaluation of the Basaltic-Greenstone Formation of the Urban Bulawayo Aquifer,” 11th WaterNet/WARFSA/GWP-SA Symposium, Victoria Falls, 11 November 2010, pp. 279-291.

[10]   C. Chuma, “Investigating the Occurrence of Groundwater in the Low Yield Aquifer within Matsheumhlope Wellfield,” Unpublished M.Sc. Thesis, National University of Science and Technology Library, Bulawayo, 2011.

[11]   I. Muchingami, J. D. Hlatywayo, J. M. Nel and C. Chuma, “Electrical Resistivity Survey for Groundwater Investigations and Shallow Subsurface Evaluation of the BasalticGreenstone Formation of the Urban Bulawayo Aquifer,” Journal for Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Vol. 50-52, 2012, pp. 44-51. doi:10.1016/j.pce.2012.08.014

[12]   B. T. Shumba, D. J. Hlatywayo and V. Midzi, “Focal Mechanism Solution of The 15th March 2008, Nyamandlovu Earthquake,” South African Journal of Geology, Vol. 112, No. 3, 2009, pp. 381-386. doi:10.2113/gssajg.112.2-3.381

[13]   D. J. Hlatywayo and V. Midzi, “Report on the Investigations into the Location, Causes and the Effects of the 25th June 2004 Bulawayo-Nyamandlovu Earthquake,” Goverment of Zimbabwe, Harare, 2005, 13p.

[14]   Department of Meteorological Services, “Climate Data Records of Bulawayo,” Goetz Observatory Weather Station, Bulawayo, 2003.

[15]   M. S. Garson and N. A. Mtsvangwa, “The Geology of Bulawayo Greenstone Belt and the Surrounding Granitic Terrain,” Zimbabwe Geological Survey, Harare, 1995.

[16]   K. Sankar, “Evaluation of Groundwater Potential Zones Using Remote Sensing Data in Upper Vaigai River Basin, Tamil Nadu, India,” Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing, Vol. 30, No. 3, 2002, pp. 119-129. doi:10.1007/BF02990644

[17]   B. M. Evans and W. L. Myers, “A GIS-based approach to evaluating regional groundwater pollution potential with DRASTIC,” Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, Vol. 45, No. 2, 1990 pp. 242-245.

[18]   J. W. Merchant, “GIS-Based Groundwater Pollution Hazard Assessment: A Critical Review of the DRASTIC Model,” Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, Vol. 60, No. 9, 1994, pp. 1117-1128.

[19]   G. P. Panagopoulos, A. K. Antonakos and N. J. Lambrakis, “Optimization of the DRASTIC Method for Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment via the Use of Simple Statistical Methods and GIS,” Hydrogeology Journal, Vol. 14, No. 6, 2006, pp. 894-911. doi:10.1007/s10040-005-0008-x

[20]   T. O. Tweed, M. Leblanc, J. A. Webb and M. W. Lubczynski, “Remote Sensing and GIS for Mapping Groundwater Recharge and Discharge Areas in Salinity Prone Catchments, Southeastern Australia,” Hydrogeology Journal, Vol. 15, No. 1, 2007, pp. 75-96. doi:10.1007/s10040-006-0129-x

[21]   E. Sener, A. Davraz and M. Ozcelik, “An Integration of GIS and Remote Sensing in Groundwater Investigations: A Case Study in Burdur, Turkey,” Hydrogeology Journal, Vol. 13, No. 5-6, 2005, pp. 826-834. doi:10.1007/s10040-004-0378-5

[22]   S. Shahid, S. K. Nath and J. Roy, “Groundwater Potential Modelling in a Soft Rock Area Using a GIS,” International Journal of Remote Sensing, Vol. 21, No. 9, 2000, pp. 1919-1924. doi:10.1080/014311600209823

[23]   J. E. Charon, “Hydrogeological Applications of ERTS Satellite Imagery,” Proceedings of UN/FAO Regional Seminar on Remote Sensing of Earth Resources and Environment, Commonwealth Science Council, Cairo, 1974, pp. 439-456.

[24]   G. F. Bonham-Carter, “Geographic Information Systems for geoscientists: Modelling with GIS,” Elseviers Science Ltd., Kidlington, 1994, 398p.

[25]   T. L. Saaty, “A Scaling Method for Priorities in Hierarchical Structures,” Journal of Mathematical Psychology, Vol. 15, No. 3, 1997, pp. 234-281. doi:10.1016/0022-2496(77)90033-5

[26]   T. L. Saaty, “Fundamentals of Decision Making and Priority Theory with the AHP,” RWS Publications, Pittsburgh, 1994.

[27]   J. E. Danielsen, T. Dahlin, R. Owen, P. Mangeya and E. Auken, “Geophysical and Hydrogeologic Investigation of Groundwater in the Karoo Stratigraphic Sequence at Sawmills in Northern Matabeleland, Zimbabwe: A Case History,” Hydrogeology Journal, Vol. 15, No. 5, 2007, pp. 945-960. doi:10.1007/s10040-007-0191-z

[28]   J. W. Lloyd, “Water Resources in Hard Rock Aquifers in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas,” UNESCO Studies and Reports in Hydrogeology No. 58, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Paris, 1999

[29]   N. S. Rao, G. K. J. Chakradhar and V. Srinivas, “Identification of Groundwater Potential Zones Using Remote Sensing Techniques in and around Gunur Town, Andhra Pradesh, India,” Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing, Vol. 29, No. 1-2, 2001, pp. 69-78. doi:10.1007/BF02989916

[30]   S. C. Caran, C. M. Woodruff and E. J. Thompson, “Lineament Analysis and Inference of Geologic Structure Examples from the Balcones/Ouachita Trend of Texas,” Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, Vol. 31, 1981, pp. 59-69.