Evaluation of groundwater potentials of Orogun, South–South part of Nigeria using electrical resistivity method

An investigation has been made of the groundwater potentials of Orogun Town, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria, using electrical resistivity survey. This study motivated to determine electrical resistivity parameters of the area. The aim of this work is to use electrical resistivity method to explore the groundwater potentials of Orogun Town with the determination of its Dar Zarrouk parameters. A total of eight vertical electrical sounding (VES) were conducted with maximum electrode spacing of 150 m. The data were acquired using ABEM SAS 4000 Terrameter and processed using IPI2win and Interpex softwares. The groundwater potentials of the area are evaluated based on the longitudinal conductance ( S ), transverse resistance ( T ), coefficient of electrical anisotropy ( λ ), resistivity for the formation ( $$\rho_{\text{m}}$$ ρ m ), reflection coefficient ( R C ) and resistivity contrast ( F C ). The results reveal four subsurface geoelectric layers in seven of the eight VES while one VES revealed three subsurface geoelectric layers. Resistivity values for all the layers in the study area are very high, higher than what is expected in a sedimentary basin as we have in the study area. The resistivity values range from 8470 Ωm (layer 1, VES 7) to 118,030,000 Ωm (layer 3, VES 8). Depth to aquifer in the study area ranged from 1.61 m (VES 2) to 12.41 m (VES 1), while resistivity values of the aquifer ranged from 64,182 Ωm (VES 3) to 118,030,000 Ωm (VES 8). The results from the formation parameters evaluated showed that the area has good groundwater potential but might have been highly contaminated, especially from hydrocarbon sources and other man-made pollutants. The suggested contamination of the aquifer is as a result of the high values of resistivity of the aquifer layers.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND

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