The Yield Characteristics of the Shallow Aquifer of River Kastina Ala Floodplane in Nigeria

Author(s): Enokela O.S, Abua C.A

The yield of shallow aquifer of River Kastina Ala within Kastina Ala local Government of Benue State Nigeria was carried out at constant rate of pumping and recovery test on five existing tube wells located within the floodplain of the river stretching from Abaave to Government Secondary School Katsina-ala. An average duration of pumping for the flood plane was established at 149 minutes. The average recovery period for wells in the study area was 202 minutes while the stabilization period of 42 minutes was recorded. The study conducted revealed that an average discharge of 2268.89 m3/day is achievable from each well while on an the average specific yield is 320.18 m3/day. The aquifer has an average coefficient of permeability (K) of 189.5 m/day and coefficient of Transmissivity (T) of 808.32m2/day. The aquifer is confirmed to be a semi-confined to confined, having a specific yield, transmissivity, permeability and average discharge per well obtained in the study area when compared with already established standards This also attested that the aquifers in the study area are moderate to good since the time taken for an aquifer to recover to its static water level is not more than 4 hours 15 minutes with a maximum cone of depression of 8.75 against the 6.22 achieved.

Kastina ala floodplain, aquifer, permeability, transmisivity, yield

1. Achyara, G. (2004). The role of economic analysis in groundwater management in semi-arid regions the case of Nigeria. Hydrogeology Journal, 12, 33-39
2. Foster, S.S.D., Tuinhof A, & Garduno, H. (2008), Groundwater in Subsahara Africa – A Strategic Overview of development issues. In Adelana, S.M.A. & MacDonald, A.M.(eds) Applied Groundwater Studies in Africa. IAH Selected Papers on Hydrogeology. 13, CRC Press/Balkenia, Leiden, The Netherlands
3. MacDonald, A.M., Cobbing, J. & Davies J. [2005 (a)]. Developing Groundwater for rural development supply in Nigeria. British Geological Survey Commissioned Report CR/05/219N
4. Srinivasa, R.Y., Reddy, T.V.K. and Nayudu, P.T. (2000). Groundwater targeting in a hard rock-terrian using fracture pattern modeling, Niva River Basin, Andre Pradesh, India. Hydrogeology Journal, 8(5) 494-502
5. Luke M and Pudentiana O, (2012), Integration of Geophysical Techniques for Groundwater Potential Investigation in Katsina-Ala, Benue State, Nigeria. The Pacific Journal of Science and Technology –464– http://www.akamaiuniversity.us/PJST.htm Volume 13. Number 2
6. Baba, K.M. and B.R. Singh, 1998. Sustainable development of fadama lands in Nortern Nigeria. A review of the potentials and challenges. Nig. J. Rural Sociol., 2: 95-105
7. Akinbile, L.A., M.A. Oladoja, F.M. Awoniyi and B.O. Adisa,(2006). Effects of community participation on perception of sustainability of rural water projects in Oyun Local government area of Kwara state, Nigeria. J. Food Agric. Environ., 4: 257-261
8. Ruud, N. C., T. Harter, and A. W. Naugle (2004), Estimation of groundwater pumping as closure to the water balance of a semi-arid irrigated agricultural basin, J. of Hydrology 297:51-73
9. Muller, E. H., and Cadwell, D. H., (1986). Surficial geologic map of New York, Finger Lakes Sheet: New York State Museum - Geological survey Map and Chart Series No. 40, scale 1:250,000
10. Musa, J. J. Ahaneku, I. E. Manta, I. Anijofor, S. C.( 2012).Assessment of Clear Wash Bores as an Alternative Source of Irrigation Water for Fadama Areas of Kwara State, Nigeria International Journal of Water and Soil Resources Research Vol 3, No. 1
11. Punmia, B. C, Ashok, J and Arun, J(1995). Water supply Engineering
12. National Fadama Development Office (NFDO) (2005). Design of small scale Rural infrastructural subprojects (Unpublished Report)
13. Todd, D. K. (2006). Ground water hydrology. Second Edition. India: John Wiley and Foes, Inc. India
14. Boonstra, J.; Kselik, R.A.L. (2002). SATEM : Software for aquifer test evaluation.Wageningen, The Netherlands: International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement. ISBN 90-70754-54-1
15. Kruseman, G.P.; de Ridder, N.A. (1990). Analysis and Evaluation of Pumping Test Data (Second ed.). Wageningen, The Netherlands: International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement. ISBN 90-70754-20-7
16. ITGE (1991) Sobreexplotación de acuíferos: Análisis Conceptual. Instituto Techológico Geominero de España, Madrid
17. Custodio, E. (1992), Hydrological and Hydrochemical Aspects of Aquifer Overexploitation. Selected Papers on Aquifer Overexploitation. Intern. Assoc. of Hydrogeologists, Heise, Hannover, 3: 3-28
18. Custodio, E. (2000), The Complex Concept of Over-exploited Aquifer, Secundan Edicion,Uso Intensivo de Las Agua Subterráneas, Madrid
19. Delgado, S. (1992),Sobreexplotación de acuíferos: una aproximación conceptual. Hidrogeología Recursos Hidráulicos. Asoc. Española de Hidrología Subterránea. 25: 469-476
20. Margrat, J. (1992), The Overexploitation of Aquifers. Selected Papers on Aquifer Overexploitation. Intern. Assoc. of Hydro-geologists. Heise. Hannover. 3:29-40
21. GEC-(1984 and1997), Ground Water Estimation Committee for assessing ground water
22. Idowu,O.A. and Martins,O (2007) hydrograph analysis for groundwater recharge in the phreatic basement aquifer of the opeki river basin, southwestern nigeria asset series b (2007) 6 (2): 132-141 asset aninternational journal
23. Kumar, M. D. (2005), Reconciling Water Use and Environment: Water Resources Management in Gujarat,Report of the Hydrological Regime Subcomponent of the State Environmental Action Programme, submitted to Gujarat Ecology Commission, Vadodara
24. Eduvie, M. 1994. Determination of Aquifer Characteristics, Lecture notes, short course on Fadama Irrigation Development, NWRI / FACU Kaduna
25. Johnson filters, (1990). Groundwater and well development Minnesota, Canada
26. Wilson, E. N, 1979. Engineering hydrology, 2nd edition Macmillan press Ltd, Hong kong
27. Modi, Y.P (1990). Irrigation Water Resource and Water Power Engineering Standards Book House, New Delhi
28. Parry, J. (1992). Fadama field Training notes (prepared by wardrop engineering Inc.Winnipeg, Canada. Fadama field Training Workshop, Ilorin, Kwara state, Nigeria
29. Cooper, H.H. and C.E. Jacob, 1946. A generalized graphical method for evaluating formation constants and summarizing well field history, Am. Geophys. Union Trans., vol. 27, pp. 526-534
30. Driscoll, F.G., 1986. Groundwater and Wells (2nd ed.), Johnson Filtration Systems, Inc., St. Paul, Minnesota, 1089p