Urban Aquifer Management With Special Reference to Sebeta Town and its Vicinities (Oromia)
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Date
2015-06-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The study area, Sebeta town and its vicinities, is characterized by recently expanding urbanization, huge industrial activities and groundwater dependent agricultural practices. All these activities have a tremendous effect on the water resource utilization and a polluting potential of the system. Groundwater is the only major source for all kind of water uses and supplies in the area.
This study mainly deals with the groundwater resource assessment and sustainability problems of the resource in Sebeta town and its vicinities. The area has mean annual precipitation, potential evapotranspiration and actual evapotranspiration of 1239mm, 1355.7mm and 873.4mm respectively. The overall water balance of the study area is computed with an aim of estimating the amount of annual recharge to the groundwater. Accordingly, annual recharge to the groundwater of the study area is approximated to be 146mm. The main aquifer formations of the area are weathered and fractured basalt, ignimbrite, rhyolite, and scoria. The general trend for groundwater flow as observed from pieziometric heads is from the northern and north eastern highlands towards the southern direction of the study area. Moreover, groundwater type of the area evolves from Ca-Na-HCO3 water type in the northern and north eastern highlands to Ca-Mg-HCO3 on the high and intermediate productive aquifers of southern part of the study area.
This study reveal that, all streams around Sebeta town, the underlying unconfined shallow aquifers groundwater and alluvial aquifers along Sebeta river may be generally considered as highly vulnerable to any type of pollution. There is no clear and regular system for monitoring and supervision of water supplying schemes and sources by the concerned offices. It is therefore crucial to note implementation of local water regulations and appropriate legislative integrated framework for the protection and sustainable use of groundwater and pollution prevention on the surrounding aquifers.
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Keywords
Groundwater, Pollution, Urban Development, Sustainable Use and Management