Groundwater investigation and modeling - western desert of Iraq By the Faculty of Geosciences,Geo-Engineering and Mining Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg Chair of Hydrogeology institute Approved PhD. Thesis To attain the academic degree of Doctor rerum naturalium Dr. rer. Nat. Submitted by Sameh Wisam Al-Muqdadi (MSc.) Born on Dec.01.1976 in Baghdad Reviewres: Prof.Dr.Broder Merkel TU.Bergakademie Freiberg Prof.Dr.Peter Udluft University of Würzburg Dr.Volkmar Dunger TU.Bergakademie Freiberg Date of the award: May.04.2012 , Freiberg - Germany Groundwater investigation and modelling - Western desert of Iraq Dedication To the memory of Haider Obaid Al-Sultan, Mahdi Mizil … and all the Iraqi souls have been lost during the war… The unknown soldiers that lit a candle to enlighten the long dark path… Sameh Sameh Wisam Al-Muqdadi Page 2 of 115 Groundwater investigation and modelling - Western desert of Iraq Acknowledgment My deepest thanks to my supervisor Prof. Dr. habil Broder J. Merkel, Head of Geology Department and Chair of Hydrogeology for his, guidance, support, inspiration, fruitful suggestions and multiple efforts. A special thank goes to Dr. Volkmar Dunger, for his continues help, valuable comments and discussions to enhance this work. The author wishes to express his special thanks and gratitude to the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst – DAAD) for the financial Support. Many thanks for the scientific diving center team at TU.Freiberg for such innovative, unique moments and hard scientific work (Prof. Dr. Broder J. Merkel, Dr.Thomas Pohl , Gerald Barth, Dr.Elke Eckardt, Dr.Mandy Schipek, my diving buddy Christin Müller, Stephan schulz,Robert Sieland, Marco Ponepal ,Katja Winkler,Richard Stanulla,Franziska Vinzenz). A special thanks to my office mate Mohammed Omer and for dear mate Iwona Woloszyn for all help and valuable discussion. Thanks for all colleagues of hydrogeology team at the Geology faculty for the wonderful time and con- structive discussions : Dr.Sascha Kummer, Hajo Peter, Rudy Abo, Sosina Shieleses, Shimelis Berhanu, Nadja Schmidt, Ramadan Abdel Aziz, Lotfallah Karimzadeh, Nair Sreejesh, Eyad Aboshindi, Raghid Sabri, Wondem Gezahegne, Andrea Berger, Samer Bachmaf, Karina Taupadel, Anne Kaulisky, Beanca Störr, Arsalan Othman, Eric pohl, Hussein Jassas, Omed Mustafa, Shwan Ismael, Wael Kanoua , Arab Alireza,Gisela Schmiedgen and Tino Beier. The author expresses his gratitude to the university administration office especially Dagmer Heim, Dr.Corina Dunger - GraFA program and the International University Center (IUZ). Thanks for all my special friends for continues support: Ahmed Al-Suraifi, Ahmed Khalil,Ahmed Riad, Ahmed Mashaalah ,Ali Salman, Aseel Anton, Bashar and Aygun Hanna,Basma Basheer, Fatin Fawzi, Gulirmo Bolonas, Haider Abbas, Hassanein Hoshi, Hussein Abdul Ameer, Khaldun Abualhin, Khalid Hoshi, Mohammed H. Al-Rashdee, May Al-Naimi, Mohammed Salih, Muntasar Mohammed, Nashwan Othman, Dr.Nicole Birkner, Sahel M. Al-Azzawi, Zaid T. Al-Ukaily, Zaid F. Zidan and Yasser Riyad. Special thanks goes to my first teacher Sanaa Izzat and the best trainer ever Riham Faruk El-Sedfy. Guides and friends who help me during the field work my brother Mustafa and his wife Dania, Atheer Nail Al-Hashimi, Mohammed M.Oaina,Ammar Falah, Yasser Kassim and Abu Duraid. Special thanks to Baghdad university,Prof.Dr. Balsam Al-Tawash , Prof.Dr.Khalid Al-Muktar, Dr.Qusay Al-Suhail, Dr.Sawsan Al-Jaff, Basrah university Prof.Dr.Mohammed Al-Asadi, Geosurve - Iraq Prof. Dr. Khaldun Al-Bassam, Dr. Sadik Al-Jawad, Salahaddin University Dr.Mariwan Chnari, Tikrit University Dr.Omar Sabah, MOST Dr. Maitham Al-Sultan and Mr.Muslim Oaina. My family, great mother, sister, brothers Mustafa and Haider,the soul of my father, last not least my lovely wife Farah Qassim and her family my father and mother in law. Sameh Wisam Al-Muqdadi Page 3 of 115 Groundwater investigation and modelling - Western desert of Iraq List of Content Page Dedication ………………………………..………………..2 Acknowledgment ………………………………..………………..3 List of contents …………………………………..……………..4 List of Figures ………..……………………………..….......…8 List of Tables ………..……………………………….…….…9 List of abbreviations ………..……………………………….………10 English Abstract ……………………………………….………..12 German Abstract ..………………...…………………….……….14 1 Introduction ………..……………………………….………16 1-1 Preface ………..……………………………….………16 1-2 Region of interest ………..……………………………….………16 1-3 Previous Studies ………..……………………………….………17 1-3-1 Local studies ………..……………………………….………17 1-3-1-1 Hydrogeological Studies ………..………………………….…….17 1-3-1-2 Remote Sensing Studies ………..………………………….…….18 1-3-2 Global studies …..……………………………….…….18 1-3-2-1 Groundwater flow and fracture zone ..………………………...19 1-3-2-2 Lineaments extraction ………..…………………………….….19 1-3-2-3 Watershed delineation ………..……………………….……….20 1-4 Importance of investigation area ……………..………………..…24 1-5 Motivation ………..……………………………….…….…24 1-6 Deliverables ………..……………………………….………24 1-7 Problems ………..……………………………….………26 2 Methodology ………..……………………………….………27 2-1 Literature review ………..……………………………….………27 2-2 Personal contact ………..……………………………….………27 2-3 Field work ………..……………………………….………27 2-4 Evaluation of geological data ………………………….………27 2-4-1 Geological cross section ….……..……………………….27 2-4-2 Fault system by means of remote sensing techniques …..………28 Sameh Wisam Al-Muqdadi Page 4 of 115 Groundwater investigation and modelling - Western desert of Iraq 2-5 Climate and Meteorology..…..………………………………....……28 2-5-1 Meteorological data ………..……………………………….………28 2-5-2 Aridity index ………..……………………………….………28 2-5-3 Groundwater recharge ………..…………………………….….29 2-5-4 Vegetation index ………..……………………………….………29 2-5-5 Actual evaporation ………..……………………………….………30 2-5-6 Soil moisture ………..……………………………….………32 2-5-7 Runoff ………..……………………………….………32 2-6 Hydrogeology ………..……………………………….………34 2-6-1 Pumping test ………..……………………………….………34 2-6-2 Groundwater flow ………..……………………………….………34 2-6-3 Wadi catchment delineation ……………………………….…34 2-6-3-1 Dataset ………..……………………………….………34 2-6-3-2 Approaches ………..……………………………….………34 2-6-3-3 Software packages ………..……………………………….………35 2-6-4 PC options ………..……………………………….………39 2-6-5 Groundwater Model ………..……………………………….………39 2-6-5-1 Conceptual model ………..……………………………….………40 2-6-5-2 Input ………..……………………………….………41 2-6-5-3 Properties ………..……………………………….………41 2-6-5-4 Boundary conditions ………..……………………………….………41 2-6-5-5 Observation wells ………..……………………………….………42 2-6-5-6 Solver ………..……………………………….………42 2-6-5-7 Calibration ………..……………………………….………42 3 Geological setting ………..……………………………….………44 3-1 Preface ………..……………………………….………44 3-2 Tectonic and structure …………………………………………..…...44 3-3 Stratigraphy ………..……………………………….………46 3-3-1 Tayarat formation ………..……………………………….………47 3-3-2 Umm Er Radhumma formation ………………………………....47 3-3-3 Dammam formation ………..……………………………….………48 3-3-4 Euphrates formation………..…………………………………………48 Sameh Wisam Al-Muqdadi Page 5 of 115 Groundwater investigation and modelling - Western desert of Iraq 3-4 Topography and Ubaiydh Wadi …………………………………49 4 Climate and meteorology.…………………………………..………51 4-1 Preface ………..……………………………….………51 4-2 Precipitation ………..……………………………….………51 4-3 Temperature ………..……………………………….………52 4-4 Potential evaporation …………………………………………53 4-5 Relative humidity ………..……………………………….………54 4-6 Wind ………..……………………………….………55 4-7 Sunshine duration ………..……………………………….………56 5 Hydrogeology ………..……………………………….………57 5-1 Preface ………..……………………………….………57 5-2 Tayarat aquifer ………..……………………………….………57 5-2-1 Pressure conditions ………..……………………………….………57 5-2-2 Hydraulic characteristics …………………………………………57 5-2-3 Water quality ………..……………………………….………58 5-3 Um Er Radumma aquifer …………………………………………58 5-3-1 Pressure conditions ………..……………………………….………58 5-3-2 Hydraulic characteristics …………………………………………58 5-3-3 Water quality ………..……………………………….………59 5-4 Dammam aquifer ………..……………………………….………59 5-4-1 Pressure conditions ………..……………………………….………59 5-4-2 Hydraulic characteristics …………………………………………60 5-4-3 Water quality ………..……………………………….………60 6 Result and discussion …………………………………………61 6-1 Topographic contour map …………………………………………61 6-2 Geological cross section …………………………………………62 6-3 Lineaments evaluation …………………………………………65 6-4 Groundwater flow ………..……………………………….………66 6-5 Pumping test evaluation …………………………………………70 6-6 Catchment calculation …………………………………………72 Sameh Wisam Al-Muqdadi Page 6 of 115 Groundwater investigation and modelling - Western desert of Iraq 6-7 Water balance and Recharge ……………………………….…76 6-8 Groundwater model ………..……………………………….………78 6.8.1 Model sensitivity ………..……………………………….………80 6.8.2 Groundwater management ……………………………….…83 7 Conclusion and recommendations …………………………………84 7.1 Conclusion ………..……………………………….…….…84 7.2 Recommendations ………..……………………………….…….…85 8 References ………..……………………………….………86 9 Appendixes ………..……………………………….………90 10 Field work Photos ………..……………………………….………115 11 Author CV. ………..……………………………….………116 Sameh Wisam Al-Muqdadi Page 7 of 115 Groundwater investigation and modelling - Western desert of Iraq List of Figures Figure No. Title Page Fig. 1-1 Local and regional investigation area – western desert of Iraq 17 Fig. 2-1 Groundwater recharge model 29 Fig. 2-2 Soil moisture curve (Noaa, 2009) 32 Fig. 2-3 SCS relation between storm runoff and rainfall (Maidment, 1993) 33 Fig. 2-4 Flow direction and watershed boundaries 35 Fig. 2-5 Flow direction 35 Fig. 2-6 Fill depression 36 Fig. 2-7 GIS software packages flowchart 36 Fig. 2-8 Groundwater flow model by Visual Modflow 40 Fig. 2-9 Polygon for main wadi