Abstract
Seepage from unlined irrigation canals is a signi ficant source of groundwater recharge for shallow aquifers in many parts of the world, especially in arid and semi-arid regions such as Egypt. This is the case for Ismailia canal, the most important branch canal of the River Nile in Egypt, which suffers seepage losses along its entire length (129.5 km). Groundwater modeling was performed using MODFLOW to determine the effect of lining of four sections of the canal, with a total length of 61 km on the water balance of the underlying unconsolidated porous-medium aquifer and to optimize the locations of the lined sections. The model was developed using existing hydrogeological data from the area and was calibrated using water table data for the period 2004–2013. The simulation results indicated that the optimum locations of lined sections to minimize the seepage losses are located at distances along the canal from 19 to 45 kms, from 70 to 93 km and from 109 to 117 km from the head regulator at km (0.00) near Cairo. The minimum seepage losses, in that case, is equal to 7.3% of the canal total discharge. The modeling also indicated that seepage from the unlined canal provides about 3.5 million m3/day recharge to the underlying aquifer and these seepage losses represent about 21.6% of the canal total discharge. The optimum lining of the canal reduced the recharge to the aquifer by 65% (from 3,426,500 to 1,199,500 m3/day. The discharge from the model.domain (outward the boundaries) and the added recharge to the aquifer storage reduced by 50% from about 4.0 million m3/day to about 2.02 million m3/day between 2016 and 2021.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
AWF, African Water Facility (2007) Comprehensive Study and Project Preparation for the Rehabilitation of the Nubaria and Ismailia Canals. Appraisal Report, August 2007. https://www.africanwaterfacility.org/fileadmin/uploads/awf/Projects/AWF-Project-appraisal-report-EGYPT-CANALS.pdf
AfDB, African Development Bank Group (2016) Egypt–integrated water resources management of the Nubaria and Ismailia Canals: summary ESIA, environmental and social impact assessment. May 2016. Project code: P-EG-AAC-024. https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/document/egypt-integrated-water-resources-management-of-the-nubaria-and-ismailia-canals-summary-esia-88494.
Abdelhaleem FS, Amin AM, Ibraheem MM (2016) Updated regime equations for alluvial Egyptian canals. Alex Eng J 55(1):505–512. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2015.12.011
Abd-Elhamid H, Javadi A, Abdelaty I, Sherif M (2016) Simulation of seawater intrusion in the Nile Delta aquifer under the conditions of climate change. Hydrol Res 47:1198–1210. https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2016.157
Arnous MO, Green DR (2015) Monitoring and assessing waterlogged and salt affected areas in the eastern Nile Delta region, Egypt using remotely sensed multi-temporal data and GIS. J Coast Conserv 19:369–391. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-015-0397-5
Arumi JL, Rivera D, Holzapfel E, Boochs P, Billib M, Fernald A (2009) Effect of the irrigation canal network on surface and groundwater interactions in the lower valley of the Cachapoal River Chilean. J Agric Res 69(1):12–20
Attwa M, Basokur AT, Akca I (2014) Hydraulic conductivity estimation using direct current (DC) sounding data: a case study in East Nile Delta Egypt. Hydrogeol J 22(5):1163–1178. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-014-1107-3
Barnett B, Townley LR, Post V, Evans RE, Hunt RJ, Peeters L, Richardson S, Werner AD, Knapton A, Boronkay A (2012) Australian Groundwater Modelling Guidelines; National Water Commission: Canberra, Australia. ISBN 9781921853913.
Boyraz U, Kazezyılmaz-Alhan CM (2017) Solutions for groundwater flow with sloping stream boundary: analytical, numerical and experimental models. Hydrol Res 49(4):1120–1130. https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2017.264
Chahar BR (2007) Optimal design of a special class of curvilinear bottomed channel section. J Hydr Eng 133(5):571–576. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(2007)133:5(571)
Cho J, Barone VA, Mostaghimi S (2009) Simulation of land use impacts on groundwater levels and stream flow in a Virginia watershed. Agric Water Manag 96(1):1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2008.07.005
Dong YH, Li GM, Xu HZ (2012) An areal recharge and discharge simulating method for Modflow. Comput Geosci 42:203–205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2011.10.005
Eleraki M, Gadallah M, Gemail K, Attwa M (2010) Application of resistivity method in environmental study of the appearance of soil water in the central part of Tenth of Ramadan City Egypt. Q J Eng Geol Hydrol 43(2):171–184. https://doi.org/10.1144/1470-9236/08-079
Elewa HH, Shohaib RE, Qaddah AA, Nousir AM (2013) Determining groundwater protection zones for the Quaternary aquifer of northeastern Nile Delta using GIS-based vulnerability mapping. Environ Earth Sci 68(2):313–331. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-012-1740-x
Eltarabily MG, Negm AM (2018a) Groundwater management for sustainable development plans for the western Nile Delta aquifer. In: A N (ed) Groundwater in the Nile delta. The handbook of environmental chemistry. Springer, Cham, pp 687–708
Eltarabily MG, Negm AM (2018b) Groundwater management for sustainable development plans for the western Nile Delta. In: A N (ed) Groundwater in the Nile delta. The handbook of environmental chemistry. Springer, Cham, pp 709–727
Eltarabily MG, Negm AM, Yoshimura C, Saavedra OC (2016) Modeling the impact of nitrate fertilizers on groundwater quality in the southern part of the Nile Delta. Egypt. Water Sci Technol 17(2):561–570
Eltarabily MG, Negm AM, Yoshimura C, Takemura J (2018) Groundwater modeling in agricultural watershed under different recharge and discharge scenarios for quaternary aquifer eastern Nile delta Egypt. Environ Model Assess 23(3):289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-017-9577-z
Fayoumi IF (1968) Geology of groundwater supplies in the Eastern region of the Nile Delta and its extension in the North Sinai. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
Fang K, Ji X, Shen C, Ludwing N, Godfrecy P, Mahjabin T, Doughty C (2019) Combining a land surface model with groundwater model calibration to assess the impacts of groundwater pumping in a mountainous desert basin. Adv Water Resour 130:12–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2019.05.008
Fernald AG, Guldan SJ (2006) Surface water-groundwater interactions between irrigation ditches, alluvial aquifers, and streams. Rev Fish Sci 14:79–89. https://doi.org/10.1080/10641260500341320
Garambois PA, Roux H, Larnier K, Labat D, Dartus D (2015) Characterization of catchment behavior and rainfall selection for flash flood hydrological model calibration: catchments of the eastern Pyrenees. Hydrol Sci J 60(3):424–447. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2014.909596
Geriesh MH, Balke K, El-Rayes AE (2008) Problems of drinking water treatment along Ismailia Canal Province Egypt. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 9:232–242. https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B0710634
Geriesh MH, Balke K, El-Rayes AE, Mansour BM (2015) Implications of climate change on the groundwater flow regime and geochemistry of the Nile Delta Egypt. J Coast Conserv 19:589–608. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-015-0409-5
Ghazaw YM (2011) Design and analysis of a canal section for minimum water loss. Alex Eng J 50(4):337–344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2011.12.002
Ghysels G, Mutua S, Veliz GB, Huysmans M (2019) A modified approach for modeling river–aquifer interaction of gaining rivers in MODFLOW, including riverbed heterogeneity and river bank seepage. Hydrogeol J 27(5):1851–1863. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-019-01941-0
GMS 9.2 Tutorial, Stratigraphy Modeling Horizons and Solids. http://gmstutorials-9.2.aquaveo.com/StratigraphyModeling-HorizonsAndSolids.pdf
GMS 10.4 Tutorial, MODFLOW, Generating Data from Solids. https://gmstutorials-10.4.aquaveo.com/MODFLOWGeneratingDataFromSolids.pdf
Haddad IM (2002) Hydrogeological studies and their environmental impact on future management and sustainable development of the new communities and their surroundings, east of the Nile Delta, Egypt. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Egypt
Harbaugh AW, Banta ER, Hill MC, McDonald GM (2020) MODFLOW-2000: The U.S. Geological Survey Modular ground-water model: user guide to modularization concepts and the ground-water flow process. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00–92. Reston, Virginia: USGS
Ismael AMA (2007) Application of remote sensing, GIS, and groundwater flow modeling in evaluating groundwater resources: two case studies—East Nile Delta, Egypt, and Gold Valley, California. PhD Thesis, University of Texas, El-Paso, USA
Kacimov AR, Obnosov YV (2019) Modeling of 2-D seepage from aquifer towards stream via clogged bed: the toth-trefftz legacy conjugated. Adv Water Resour 5:5
Kahlown MA, Kemper WD (2005) Reducing water losses from channels using linings: costs and benefits in Pakistan. Agric Water Manag 74(1):57–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2004.09.016
Khadri SFR, Pande C (2016) Groundwater flow modeling for calibrating steady-state using MODFLOW software: a case study of Mahesh River basin, India. Model Earth Syst Environ 2:1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-015-0049-7
Khattab AF, Hammad MN, Badawy HA (1994) Design of canals in sandy soils. J Water Sci.
Lackey G, Neupauer RM, Pitlick J (2015) Effects of streambed conductance on stream depletion. Water 7(1):271–287. https://doi.org/10.3390/w7010271
Lautz LK, Siegel DL (2006) Modeling surface and groundwater mixing in the hyporheic zone using MODFLOW and MT3D. Adv Water Resour 29(11):1618–1633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2005.12.003
Li B-D, Zhang X-H, Xu C-Y, Zhang H, Song J-X (2015) Water balance between surface water and groundwater in the withdrawal process: a case study of the Osceola watershed. Hydrol Res 46(6):943–953. https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2015.137
Lin YP, Chen YW, Chang LC, Yeh MS, Huang GH, Petway JR (2017) Groundwater simulations and uncertainty analysis using modflow and geostatistical approach with conditioning multi-aquifer spatial covariance. Water 9(3):164. https://doi.org/10.3390/w9030164
Mabrouk MB, Jonoski A, Solomatine D, Uhlenbrook S (2013) A review of seawater intrusion in the Nile Delta groundwater system the basis for assessing impacts due to climate changes and water resources development. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 10:10873–10911. https://doi.org/10.5194/hessd-10-10873-2013
Martin CA, Gates TK (2014) Uncertainty of canal seepage losses estimated using flowing water balance with acoustic Doppler devices. J Hydrol 517:746–761. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2014.05.074
Maurer DK (2002) Ground-water flow and numerical simulation of recharge streamflow infiltration near Pine Nut Greek, Douglas County, Nevada. United States Geological Survey. N 4145. 48 p. Water-Resources Investigation Report. U.S. Geol. Surv., Carson City, Nebraska, USA.
Mowafy MH (2001) Seepage losses in Ismailia canal. 6th International Water Technology Conference (IWTC), Alexandria, Egypt. https://www.iwtc.info/2001_pdf/03-3.pdf
MWRI, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (2005) Integrated water resources management plan. MWRI, Cairo, Egypt. https://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/561611468234311417/pdf/341800EGY0whit11public10Action0Plan.pdf
NWRC, National Water Research Center (2005) National Water Resources Plan 2017: water for the future. Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Giza, Egypt. https://extwprlegs1.fao.org/docs/pdf/egy147082.pdf
Rushton KR (2003) Groundwater hydrology: conceptual and computational models. John Wiley and Sons Ltd., Chichester
Sakata Y, Baran G, Suzuki T, Chikita K (2016) Estimate of river seepage by conditioning downward groundwater flow in the Toyohira River alluvial fan Japan. Hydrol Sci J 61(7):1280–1290. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2015.1125481
Sallouma MK (1983) Hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical studies east of the Nile delta (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Faculty of science. Ain Shams University, Cairo
Shaw GD, Conklin MH, Nimz GJ, Liu F (2014) Groundwater and surface water flow to the Merced River, Yosemite Valley, California: 36Cl and Cl- evidence. Water Resour Res 50:1943–1959. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013WR014222
Swamee PK, Mishra GC, Chahar BR (2002) Design of minimum water-loss canal sections. J Hydraul Res 40(2):215–220. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221680209499864
Upadhyaya A, Chauhan HS (2002) Water table rise in sloping aquifer due to canal seepage and constant recharge. J Irrig and Drainage Eng 12:5
Wu M, Wu J, Lin J, Zhu X, Wu J, Hu BX (2018) Evaluating the interactions between surface water and groundwater in the arid mid-eastern Yanqi Basin, northwestern China. Hydrol Sci J 63(9):1313–1331. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2018.1500744
Xi H, Feng Q, Zhang L, Si J, Yu T (2017) Groundwater storage changes and estimation of stream lateral seepage to groundwater in desert riparian forest region. Hydrol Res 49(3):861–877. https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2017.279
Xu X, Huang G, Qu Z, Pereira LS (2011) Using MODFLOW and GIS to assess changes in groundwater dynamics in response to water saving measures in irrigation districts of the upper yellow river basin. Water Resour Manag 25(8):2035–2059. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-011-9793-2
Zhang Q, Chai J, Xu Z, Qin Y (2016) Investigation of irrigation canal seepage losses through use of four different methods in Hetao irrigation district China. J Hydrol Eng 22(3):05016035. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0001470
Zuo D, Xu Z, Zhao J, Abbaspour KC, Yang H (2015) Response of runoff to climate change in the Wei River basin China. Hydrol Sci J 60(3):508–522. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2014.943668
Acknowledgement
We would like to acknowledge the support from the US Fulbright program that provided funding for Eltarabily during his stay in California. Negm wants to acknowledge the partial financial support from the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) of Egypt via the bilateral collaboration of Italian (CNR)–Egyptian (ASRT) project titled "Experimentation of the new Sentinel mission for the observation of inland water bodies on the course of the Nile River". Authors are also profoundly grateful to the editors-in-chief and the reviewers whose valuable suggestions and constructive comments helped to improve the manuscript significantly.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interst
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Eltarabily, M.G., Moghazy, H.E., Abdel-Fattah, S. et al. The use of numerical modeling to optimize the construction of lined sections for a regionally-significant irrigation canal in Egypt. Environ Earth Sci 79, 80 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-8824-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-8824-9