Aquifer Transmissivity, Dar Zarrouk Parameters and the Direction of Flow of Suspended Particulate Matter in Boreholes in MOUAU and the Kwa Ibo River Umudike-Nigeria

This study was carried out to assess the direction of groundwater flow and the extent of the interaction of the groundwater within the premises of Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) and the Kwa Ibo River, Umudike -Nigeria. The pattern of groundwater flow within the study locations was obtained through the use of hydraulic heads which were determined using Global Positioning System ( GPS). Fourteen (14) VES were taken in four traverses within the premises and immediate environment of MOUAU in order to determine the aquifer parameters such as conductivity, Dar Zarrouk parameters, transmissivity and the K values of the study area. The VES data were interpreted using Resist software that works on the least-square inverse modeling technique which employs the backward difference resistivity transforms to obtain the final model for each VES. The electrical conductivity of the study area ranges from 0 .000014Ω-1 to 0.00014 Ω-1, hydraulic conductivity K=8.00m/day, the transmissivity ranges from 20.80m2/day to 384.80m2/day. Water samples were taken from boreholes within the premises of MOUAU and along the banks of Kwa Ibo River bordering the University. The water samples were analysed for physical and chemical properties. Suspended particulate matter load at the CNAS and Zenith bank locations were 1200mg/L and 700mg/L respectively which is above W.H.O standard. These high values suggest contamination. Based on the pattern of flow and the determined values of particulate matter, the interaction of the Kwa Iboe River and the boreholes were also found to occur at CNAS and the Zenith bank within the study area. Generally, the flow is from north to south of the study area. The pattern and distribution of each parameter was contoured using Surfer 8 softwares. The flow pattern and distribution actually show the direction of flow and the actual position of groundwater interaction between the water in the boreholes and the water from the Kwa Ibo River. Specifically, the analysed data constrained with borehole within the area suggests that the area has top laterite sands underlain by sandy geomaterials