Dallol Area Groundwater Initial Assessment Project
Project Overview
Client: Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Ethiopia
Contract Date: December 2012
Location: Dallol area, Afar National Regional State, Ethiopia
Purpose: Evaluate groundwater potential in Musley and adjacent fan areas
Key Findings
- 10 test wells drilled (DTW-01 to DTW-10) ranging from 91m to 250m depth
- Wells located in major fan areas: Gehertu, Asabuye, Musley, Bekerti, and Saba
- Yields varied significantly - from 2-3 l/s (low yield wells) to 50-60 l/s (high yield wells)
- Water quality ranges from fresh to brackish/saline depending on location
Well Characteristics Summary
Well ID | Location | Depth (m) | Static Water Level (m) | Yield (l/s) | Water Quality |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DTW-01 | Gehertu | 189 | 99.59 | 44 | Fresh (high sulphate) |
DTW-02 | Gehertu | 223 | 144.86 | 10 | Brackish |
DTW-03 | North Gehertu | 91 | 43.3 | 60 | Brackish |
DTW-04 | Asabuye | 261 | 132.8 | 10 | Brackish |
DTW-05 | Musley | 152 | 45.19 | 6 | Fresh |
DTW-10 | Musley | 130 | 79.28 | 50 | Good quality |
Methodology
The project involved:
- Mud rotary drilling system with PVC casings
- Lithologic and geophysical borehole logging
- Gravel packing and well development
- Pumping tests (preliminary, constant rate, and recovery tests)
- Water quality analysis
Conclusions and Recommendations
- Gehertu fan shows good potential with high yields (DTW-01 at 44 l/s)
- Water quality varies - some wells have high sulphate content making them unsuitable for drinking without treatment
- Recommend further investigation in Gehertu fan area for potential additional wells
- Water suitable for solution mining despite high sulphate in some wells