The investigation of fault-controlled groundwater recharge within a suburban area of Damascus, Syria

Wannous, M.; Siebert, C.; Tröger, Uwe

The investigation of fault-controlled groundwater recharge within a suburban area of Damascus, Syria | Reconnaissance de la recharge en eau souterraine contrôlée par faille à l’intérieur de la zone sub-urbaine de Damas, Syrie Investigación de la recarga de agua subterránea controlada por fallas en el área suburbana de Damasco, Siria 叙利亚大马士革郊区断层控制的地下水补给调查 Investigação da recarga das águas subterrâneas controlada por falha dentro da área suburbana de Damasco, Síria

2016

Wannous, M. | Siebert, C. | Tröger, Uwe

Al-Mazraa is a heavily populated suburb of Damascus (Syria) with agricultural activity. It is adjacent to the Cretaceous Qassioun Mountain Range, from which it is structurally separated by the Damascus fault. Al-Mazraa waterworks abstracts from a shallow Quaternary aquifer, whose recharge processes are unidentified. The functions of Qassioun Mountain, the Damascus fault, the agricultural activities, the ascending deeper groundwater, and the through-flowing Tora River are not well understood and they are, hence, subject to study. The application of hydrochemical parameters and ratios in combination with signatures of δD and δ¹⁸O revealed that recharge predominantly occurs in the outcropping Cretaceous rocks through subsurface passages rather than through influent conditions of the Tora River or through direct rainfall. Interestingly, high Na/Cl ratios indicate contact with volcanic rocks which exist within the Cretaceous anticline and also in the subsurface of the studied Quaternary aquifer. Evidence for deeper circulating groundwater is given, since replenishing waters are up to 4 °C warmer and have much lower nitrate concentrations than the groundwater in the study area. From these points, it is indicated that the Damascus fault is conductive in respect to groundwater, rather than being impermeable, as it is elsewhere.

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