A Model of Storage Changes within the Cretaceous Sandstones of Lokoja Formation. North Central Nigeria | Chapter 08 | Current Perspectives to Environment and Climate Change Vol. 3
An assessment of storage changes within
the Cretaceous sandstones of Lokoja Formation constituting the sedimentary part
of Lokoja and its environs was carried out using USGS GSFLOW-1.0 software to
investigate reasons for water problems such as drying of streams and failure of
wells commonly experienced in the area. Daily meteorological data from year
2001 to 2010 and hydraulic conductivity for the area were used as input for the
model simulation. Model results indicate that storage in the watershed takes
place in the soil-zone, unsaturated-zone and saturated-zone and that storage
takes place at different periods in the storage zones. Three storage cycles
were identified in each of the storage zones. Soil-zone storage is generally
higher during the second and third cycles. Storage in the unsaturated zone is
lowest in the first cycle with thickness of the zone decreasing to minimum in
the second cycle as storage increases to maximum. Storage increased to maximum
in the second cycle of the saturated zone with the first and third cycles
showing negative storage changes as unsaturated zone thickness increased.
Surface runoff, interflow, and groundwater discharge in form of springs
contribute stream flow to the watershed. Failure of wells in the area is
attributed to the geology and water loss to the surface leading to insufficient
water reaching the saturated zone for storage.
Author(s) Details
F. A. Akpah
Department of Earth
Sciences, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria.
C. O. Okogbue
Department of Geology,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
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