GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY OF PART OF MAKURDI SHEET 251 SW, NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY OF PART OF MAKURDI SHEET 251 SW, NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

An integrated geological, geophysical and hydrogeological studies were carried out to investigate the groundwater potential and quality in part of Makurdi, North Central Nigeria. The study area is entirely sedimentary and is dominantly fine to coarse grained sandstone with varying amounts of silt and clay. The schlumberger array was used for the geophysical investigation with a maximum AB/2 of 100m. A total of 20 Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) stations were established. The model curve types from the electrical resistivity plot include Q, A and H curves. Three to four major lithologic units comprising the top soil (laterite, clay or loose sand) and the subsequent layers comprising of either sandstone, clayey sandstone, clay or sandy clay. The best of these units as regards to groundwater potential is the uniform sandstone unit. Isoresistivity maps at depths of 20, 30 and 50m respectively were generated and revealed that a dominant part of the study area has a very good groundwater potential at shallow depths of about 20 – 30m; while at a depth of 50m, only the North-Eastern and South-Eastern parts of the study area have a good groundwater potential. Hydrogeological data were obtained from one hundred and ten (110) hand dug wells in the study area and thirty five (35) water samples comprising ten (10) boreholes, twenty four (24) wells and four (4) river samples were collected for physic-chemical and bacteriological analysis. The depth of wells in the study area ranges from 0.71 – 8.4m with water elevation ranging from 0.3 – 8.3m and water column ranging from 0.3 – 5.5m. Most of the hand dug wells are shallow and seasonal; the boreholes however are productive all year round. Eleven (11) out of the thirty-five (35) water samples collected did not meet the Nigerian Standards for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ 2007) and hence not considered safe for drinking except after adequate treatment. Hydrochemical plots such as Piper, Durov and Gibbs plots were used for classification of the water type and identification of the hydrochemical processes involved in the groundwater chemistry. From the Piper plot, 57.1% of the water samples belong to the Alkaline water type while 42.9% belong to the Earth Alkaline Water type. The Durov plot indicated that the basic hydrochemical process responsible for the chemistry of the groundwater is simple dissolution or mixing with subordinate hydrochemical process of reverse ion exchange of Na-Cl waters. The Gibb‟s plot indicated that the major geological process controlling the water quality or chemistry is rock weathering with influence of evaporation. Recommendations given include; hand dug wells should be constructed to a depth of at least 9m, however, in areas where the water table appears to be deeper, boreholes should be sunk and the abandoned water works project for supply of pipe-borne water should be revisited by the government. Areas where water is contaminated should adopt adequate treatment measures before consumption and if treatment tends to be too expensive; then alternative means of supply of potable water (boreholes, water tankers) should be considered.

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