Structural Study of the Amran Basin in NW of Yemen and Their Impact on the Recharge of Groundwater

Abstract

Geological study covers the investigation of the structural elements and some of the hydrogeological conditions of the Amran Basin NW of Yemen. Generally, the water-supply situation in Amran basin is precarious due to more abstraction than recharge is taking place; consequently, groundwater levels continue to fall and the groundwater resource is increasingly being exhausted. The aim of this study is to identify the depth of ground water in Amran basin depending on several techniques such as: field data, remote-sensing images and geographic information system (GIS). The findings revealed that a wide range of depths of the water table, mostly relate to the structural features occur within the area. As a result, the presented study concluded that the maximum depths from the surface to the lowest contact between Kahlan Sandstone and Akbra Shale Formations ranges from 500 to 700m, this represents the lower contact of Amran Aquifer.

Keywords: Amran Basin; Structural elements; Groundwater; Recharge