10.2190/ES.32.2.c 44284143036L1487 3 Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment Using Soil and Hydrogeological Data in the Petroliferous Niger Delta, Southern Nigeria 109 123 20110111 20110111 20110111 20110111 44284143036L1487.pdf http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=44284143036L1487 2 Aniekan Edet University of Calabar, Nigeria This work documents the vulnerability of coastal aquifers located in the Niger Delta region (Nigeria) using soil and hydrogeological data. The parameters used include depth to water levels (SWL), cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic matter content (OMC), aquifer media character (AMC), recharge (R), and soil type (ST; based on the percentages of sand, silt, and clay). The results show that the most vulnerable areas are located in the southern part of the study area due mainly to seawater. The parameters used are cheap to be obtained and the the method can be applied in other coastal areas with similar conditions. Adelana, S. M. A., Olasehinde, P. I., Bale, R. B., Vrbka, P., Edet, A. E., & Goni, I. B. (2008). An Overview of geology and hydrogeology of Nigeria. In S. Adelana & A. MacDonald (Eds.), <i>Applied groundwater studies in Africa.</i> IAH Selected Papers on Hydrogeology, Vol. 13, pp. 171-198. Akpokoje, E. G. (1987). The engineering geological characteristics and classification of major superficial soils of Niger Delta. <i>Engineering Geology, 23</i>, 193-211. Al-Adamat, R. A. N., Foster, I. D. L., & Baban, S. M. J. (2003). Groundwater vulnerability and risk mapping for the basaltic aquifer of the Azraq basin of Jordan using GIS, remote sensing and DRASTIC. <i>Applied Geography, 23</i>, 303-324. Aller, L., Bennet, T., Lehr, J. H., Petty, R. J., & Hackett, G. (1987). DRASTIC: A standardised system for evaluating groundwater pollution potentials using hydrogeological settings. EPA/600/2-87/035 (455 pp.), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Assez, L. O. (1989). Review of the stratigraphy, sedimentation and structure of the Niger Delta. In C. A. Kogbe (Ed.), <i>Geology of Nigeria</i> (pp. 311-324). Jos: Rock View (Nigeria) Limited. Bekesi, G. (1998). <i>The development of an aquifer vulnerability assessment methodology with application to the Manawatu area of New Zealand</i> (256 pp.). Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, School of Earth Sciences, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand. Bekesi, G., & McConchie, J. (2000). Mapping soil sorption capacity as measure of regional groundwater vulnerability. <i>Journal of Hydrology (NZ), 39</i>(1), 1-18. Bouyoucos, G. H. (1951). Method of determining particle sizes by soil hydrometer. <i>Agronomy Journal, 43</i>, 434-438. Civita, M. (1994). <i>Vulnerability maps of aquifers subjected to pollution: Theory and practice</i> (192 pp.). Bologna: Pitagora Editrice (in Italian). Civita, M., & De Regibus, C. (1995). Sperimentazione di alcune metodologie per la valutazione della vulnerabilita degli aquiferi. <i>Q Geol Appl Pitagora, Bologna, 3</i>: 63-71. Edet, A. (2008). <i>Hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater in parts of the Niger Delta.</i> 1st Postgraduate Researchers Conference on Meeting Environmental Challenges in the Coastal Regions of Nigeria, September 29-30, 2008, University of Abertay Dundee, United Kingdom. Foster, S. S. D. (1987). Fundamental concepts in aquifer vulnerability, pollution risk and protection strategy. In W. van Duijvenbooden & H. G. van Waegeningh (Eds)., TNO Committee on Hydrological Research, The Hague. <i>Vulnerability of soil and groundwater to pollutants, Processing and Information, 38</i>: 69-86. Gianneli, C., Voudouris, K., Stamos, A. P., & Soulios, G. (2007). <i>Proposed method to assess the intrinsic groundwater vulnerability of shallow aquifers: An example from Amytaion Basin, North Greece.</i> International conference on water pollution in natural porous media at different scales. Assessment of fate, impact and indicators. Barcelona, Spain, pp 1-5. Ibe, K. M., Nwankwor, G. I., & Onyekuru, S. O. (2001). Assessment of groundwater vulnerability and its application to the development of protection strategy for water supply aquifer in Owerri, Southeastern Nigeria. <i>Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 67</i>, 323-360. Offodile, M. E. (1992). <i>An approach to ground water study and development in Nigeria</i> (247 pp.). Jos: Mecon. Short, K. C., & Stauble, A. J. (1976). Outline of the geology of the Niger Delta. <i>Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geology, 54</i>, 761-779. Soller, D. R., & Berg, R. C. (1992). A model of assessment of aquifer contamination potential based on regional geologic framework. <i>Environmental Geology and Water Sciences, 19</i>, 205-213. Van Stempvoort, D., Evert, L., & Wassenaar, L. (1993). Aquifer vulnerability index: A GIS compactable method for groundwater vulnerability mapping. <i>Canadian Water Research Journal, 18</i>, 25-37.