Hydrogeochemstry and New Water Resource Identification of Axum Area
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Date
2004
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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Abstract
The investigation of grou ndwater in Axum area thai emphasize on geochemical Variations on the
~ llIdy are is conducted using hydromctcroiogica i, geological, hydorogcoJgica l, hydochcmica t, and
geophysical techniques.
The study area is found in Tigray region, central zone, which is situated about 1025 km 00l1h of
Addis Ababa. It is located on UTM coord inates between 154760- 156700N and 458000-
480,OOOE, including AXUIll town and its surrounding areas with a total areal coverage of 425.7
sq.km. The area is covered by basement complex, Mesozoic fonnations, basah and phonolite &
trachyte plugs.
The area has a mean annua l rainfall of 672mm and Illean annual temperature of 19.4°c. Based on
qua litative borehole data, borehole logs and fi eld observation four types of hydrostratiphic units
are found in the study area. These are metamorphic rocks, Siltstone and Sandstone, Basalt and
Adwa fonnatioJ1.
The geochemical study indicates that there is a difference in chemical compositon of waters from
different lithologies, especially boreholes that penetrate the basalt and mudstone have high
chemical ions resurlting a deteriorate water qua lity on TH, TDS, EC.
Based on the available geophysical data high values of lotal transverse unit resislance (T) is
obtained fonn YES 12, YES 9, YES I and YES5 suggesting that a thick with high resisti vity
material is located in the area where these YES arc taken.