Hydrogeological characterization of the Nador Plio-Quaternary aquifer, Tipaza (Algeria)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21701/bolgeomin.125.1.005Keywords:
coastal aquifer, geochemistry, hydrogeology, marine intrusion, NadorAbstract
This paper focuses on the hydrogeological and hydrochemical knowledge of the Nador Plio-Quaternary aquifer in Tipaza, situated along the Algerian coastline. It includes the identification of the hydrodynamic aquifer, hydrogeological and piezometric characteristics and, finally, an overview of the hydro-geochemistry of the area. We carried out this study between 2008 and 2013, with piezometric and hydrochemical monitoring of 24 wells in the study area. The physicochemical analysis of water shows that 25 % of the wells in the coastal zone have values of electrical conductivity greater than 3000 μS/cm The Mg2+/Ca2+ ratio is also higher than one and there are sodium chloride facies due to the mix of freshwater with seawater exceeding 10 % in some places. However, the comparison of the salinity of the groundwater during the period 2008-2013 with 1988-2004 indicates that there is a low dilution due to the reduction of pumping in the aquifer after the construction of the Boukourdane dam. There has also been a more rainy period and a possible return flow from irrigation in the area.
Downloads
References
Agence Nationale des Ressources Hydrauliques (ANRH), 2013. Note technique annuelle sur la surveillance des eaux souterraines de la nappe de Nador, 10p. (Informe inédito).
Arslan, H., Cemek, B. and Demir, Y. 2012. Determination of seawater intrusion via hydrochemicals and isotopes in Bafra Plain, Turkey. Water Resources Management, 26, 3907-3922. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-012-0112-3
Ayme, A. 1954. Etude des terrains néogènes de la clause du Mazafran (Sahel d'Alger). Bulletin Service Carte géologique, Algérie, 1, 129-150.
Ayme, A. and Flandrin, J. 1965. Notice explicative de la carte géologique de Tipaza, 1/50,000.
Appelo, C.A.J. and Postma, D. 2005. Geochemistry, Groundwater and Pollution, 2ed. Balkema, Rotterdam, 119-174. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781439833544
Ben Hamouda, M.F., Tarhouni, J., Leduc, C. and Zouari, K. 2010. Understanding the origin of salinization of the Plioquaternary eastern coastal aquifer of Cap Bon (Tunisia) using geochemical and isotope investigations. Environmental Earth Sciences, 63(5), 889-901. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-010-0758-1
Ben Moussa, A., Zouari, K. and Marc, V. 2011. Hydrochemical and isotopeevidence of groundwater salinization processes on the coastal plain of Hammamet-Nabeul, northeastern Tunisia. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, 36 (5-6), 167-178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2010.03.039
Bouderbala, A. 2006. Contribution à l'étude de l'intrusion marine, cas de la nappe de Nador (Tipaza). Tesis de máster, Universidad de Khemis Miliana, Argelia, 103pp.
Cardona, A., Carrillo-Rivera, J., Huizar-Alvarez, R. and Garniel-Castro E. 2004. Salinization in coastal aquifers of arid zones: an example from SantoDomingo, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Environmental Geology, 45, 350-366. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-003-0874-2
Carol, E., Kruse, E. and Mas-Pla, J. 2009. Hydrochemical and isotopical evidence of ground water salinization processes on the coastal plain of Samborombón Bay, Argentina. Journal of Hydrology, 365, 335-345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2008.11.041
Compagne Générale de Géophysique (CGG), 1967. Prospection géophysique dans la plaine alluviale de l'Oued Nador, 12pp.
Custodio, E. 1987. Hydrogeochemistry and tracers. En: Custodio, E. (Ed.), Groundwater Problems in Coastal Areas. Studies and Reports in Hydrology, UNESCO, Paris, 45, 213-269.
Debieche, T. H. 2002. Evolution de la qualité chimique des eaux (salinité, azote et métaux lourds) sous l'effet de la pollution saline, agricole et industrielle. Thèse de Doctorat de l'université de Franche-Comté- France, 199pp.
Direction des Etudes du Milieu et de la Recherche Hydraulique (DEMRH), desde 1974 hasta 1979. Rapports de la réalisation des forages et piézomètres dans la région de Nador, Tipara. (Informes inéditos).
Direction des Services Agricoles (DSA), 2013. Note technique annuelle sur la gestion des eaux d'irrigation des périmètres irrigés de la wilaya de Tipaza, 15p. (Informes inéditos).
Direction de l'Hydraulique de la Wilaya (DHW), 2013. Note technique annuelle sur l'état des forages en exploitation dans la plaine de Nador, Note technique, 12pp. (Informe inédito).
El Achheb, A., Mania, J. and Mudry, J. 2003. Mécanismes d'acquisition de la minéralisation des eaux souterraines dans le bassin Sahel-Doukkala (Maroc Occidental). Approche par des traceurs hydro-géochimiques. Tecnología de la Intrusión de Agua de Mar en Acuíferos Costeros: Paises Mediterráneos, IGME, Madrid. 1, 113-123.
El Mandour, A., El Yaouti, F., Fakir, Y., Zarhloule, Y. and Benavente, J. 2007. Evolution of groundwater salinity in the unconfined aquifer of Bou-Areg, Northeastern Mediterranean coast. Morocco. Environmental Geology, 54, 491-503. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0842-3
El Yaouti, F., El Mandour, A., Khattach, D., Benavente, J. and Kaufmann, O. 2009. Salinization processes in the unconfined aquifer of Bou-Areg (NE Morocco). Applied Geochemistry. 24, 16-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2008.10.005
Ferrara, V. and Pappalardo, G. 2004. Intensive exploitation effects on alluvial aquifer of the Catania plain, eastern Sicily, Italy. Geofísica Internacional, 43, 671-681. https://doi.org/10.22201/igeof.00167169p.2004.43.4.854
FAO, 1997. Seawater intrusion in the coastal aquifers. Guidelines, for study, monitoring and control. FAO, United Nations, 156pp.
Glangeaud, A. 1932. Etude géologique de la région littorale d'Alger. Bulletin Service Carte géologique, Algérie, 2ème série N° 8, 2 volúmenes.
Haouchine. A. 1993. Simulation numérique des transferts de masse en milieu poreux, Méthodologie et exemple d'une intrusion marine de l'aquifère côtier de Nador. Tesis de máster, Universidad Houari Boumediene, Argelia, 95pp.
Karahanoglu, N. 1997. Assessment of sea-water intrusion in a coastal aquifer by using correlation, principal component, and factor analyses, Water Environment Research, 69(3), 331-341. https://doi.org/10.2175/106143097X125533
Kelly F. 2005. Seawater intrusion Topic paper: Island Country Health Department, 1-30.
Kouzana, L., Ben Mammou, A. and Sfar Felfoul, M. 2009. Seawater intrusion and associated processes: case of the Korba aquifer (Cap-Bon, Tunisia). Comptes Rendus Geoscience, 341, 21-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crte.2008.09.008
Mesaud, C. 1967. Note sur les ressources en eau potable de la región de Tipaza, 15pp.
Mesbah, M. 1981. Contribution à l'étude hydrogéologique de la basse vallée de l'Oued Nador, Tipaza. Thèse de Doctorat 3°cycle IST/ Universidad Houari Boumediene, Argelia, 236pp.
Milnes, E. and Renard P. 2004. The problem of salt recycling and seawater intrusion in coastal irrigated plains: an example from the Kiti aquifer (Southern Cyprus). Journal of Hydrology 288, 327-343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2003.10.010
Mouhamadou, M. M. 2007. Etude de la possibilté de la recharge artificièlle de la nappe de Nador, Tipaza, Tesis de máster, Universidad de Khemis Miliana, Argelia, 133pp.
Mondal, N. C., Singh, V. P., Singh, V. S. and Saxena, V. K. 2010. Determining the interaction between groundwater and saline water through groundwater major ions chemistry. Journal of Hydrology, 388, 100-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2010.04.032
Montety, V., Radakovitch, O., Vallet-Coulomb, C., Blavoux, B., Hermitte, D. and Valles, V. 2008. Origin of groundwater salinity and hydrogeochemical processes in a confined coastal aquifer: Case of the Rhône Delta (Southern France). Applied Geochemistry, 23, 2337-2349. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2008.03.011
Park, Y., Lee, J. Y., Kim, J. H. and Song, S. H. 2012. National scale evaluation of groundwater chemistry in Korea coastal aquifers: evidences of seawater intrusion. Environmental Earth Sciences, 66, 707-718. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1278-3
Piper, A. M. 1944. A graphic procedure in the geochemical interpretation of water analyses. Transactions. American Geophysical Union, 25, 914-923. https://doi.org/10.1029/TR025i006p00914
Prakash, K. L., and Somashekar, R. K. 2006, Groundwater quality - Assessment on Anekal Taluk, Bangalore Urban district, India. Journal of Environmental Biology, 27(4), 633-637.
Pulido-Leboeuf, P. 2004. Seawater intrusion and associated processes in a small coastal complex aquifer (Castell de Ferro, Spain). Applied Geochemistry, 19, 1517-1527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2004.02.004
Richards, L. A. 1954. Diagnosis and improvement of saline and alkali soils. Edit. US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Handbook n°60, Washington (USA), 160pp.
Rodier, J. 1984. L'analyse de l'eau: Eaux naturelles, eaux ré- siduaires, eau de mer, 7ème edition, Dunod, Paris, 1365pp.
Taibi, Y. and Hamadache S. 1992. Contribution à l'étude hydrogéologique de la basse vallée de l'Oued Nador, Tipaza. Tesis de ingeniería, Universidad Houari Boumediene, Argelia, 170pp.
Tifour, Y. 2000. Intrusion des eaux salées dans les eaux douces dans les nappes côtières. Approches hydrodynamiques, exemple du champ de captage de Tipaza. Tesis de máster, Universidad de Blida, 122pp.
Todd, D. K. 1959. Groundwater hydrology. Wiley, New York; 277-294.
Trabelsi, R., Zairi, M. and Ben Dhia, H. 2007. Groundwater salinization of the Sfax superficial aquifer, Tunisia. Hydrogeology Journal, 15, 1341-1355. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-007-0182-0
Savornin, J. 1924. Géologie, structrure et orogénie du Chenoua (résumé des travaux récents sur la feuille de Tipaza). Bulletin Service Carte géologique, Algérie, Algérie. 1, 65-82.
Saxena, V. K., Singh, V. S., Mondal, N. C. and Jain, S. C. 2003. Use of chemical parameters to delineation fresh water resources Paotharlank Island, India. Environmental Geology, 44(5), 516-521. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-003-0807-0
WHO-World Health Organization, 2006. Guidelines for drinking-water quality: First addendum to third edition, volume 1 Recommendations. Geneva, Switzerland, 595 pp.
Yassini, I. 1973. Nouvelles données stratigraphiques et microfaunistiques sur la limite Pliocène inférieur-Pliocène moyen dans la region d'Alger. Bulletin Service Carte géologique, Algérie, Algérie. 16 (4), 229-248.
Zghibi, A., Zouhri, L. and Tarhouni, J. 2011. Groundwater modelling and marine intrusion in the semi-arid systems (Cap-Bon, Tunisia), Hydrological Processes, 25, 1822-1836. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.7948
Zghibi, A., Tarhouni, J. and Zouhri, L. 2013. Assessment of seawater intrusion and nitrate contamination on the groundwater quality in the Korba coastal plain of Cap-Bon (North-east of Tunisia). Journal of African Earth Sciences, 87, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2013.07.009
Zouhri, L., Carlier, E., Ben Kabbour, B., Toto, E. A., Gorini, C. and Louche, B. 2008. Groundwater interaction in the coastal environment: hydrochemical, electrical and seismic approaches. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 67, 123-128. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-007-0101-6
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
© CSIC. Manuscripts published in both the print and online versions of this journal are the property of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, and quoting this source is a requirement for any partial or full reproduction.
All contents of this electronic edition, except where otherwise noted, are distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. You may read the basic information and the legal text of the licence. The indication of the CC BY 4.0 licence must be expressly stated in this way when necessary.
Self-archiving in repositories, personal webpages or similar, of any version other than the final version of the work produced by the publisher, is not allowed.
