ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to assess the direction of groundwater flow and the extent of the - interaction of groundwater within the premises of MICHEAL OKPARA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE- UMUDIKE ( MOUAU) and the Kwa Ibo River, Umudike -Nigeria. The pattern of groundwater flow within the study locations was deciphered through the use of elevation or hydraulic heads which were determined using Global Positioning System GPS or radar. Fourteen (14) VERTICAL ELECTRICAL SOUNDING (VES) points were taken in four traverses within the premises and the immediate environment of MOUAU in order to determine the aquifer parameters such as conductivity, Dar Zarrouk parameters, transmissivity and the Ka values of the study area. The VES data were interpreted using Resist software. The electrical conductivity of the study area ranges from 0 .0O0O14i1 to 0.000 14 I' , hydraulic conductivity K=8.00mlday, the transmissivity ranges from 20.80m2/day to 384.80m2"day. The K value A ranges from 0.0009(day' to .0099(day'. The survey area which falls generally on the Benin Formation lies between latitudes 5°30'-5°30'N and longitudes 7°30' and 7°37'E and covers a rectangular area of about 180km2; Water samples were also taken from boreholes within the premises of MOUAU and along the banks of Kwa Ibo River bordering the University. The water samples were analysed for physical and chemical properties. Suspended particulate matter and the turbidity were identified and compared to World Health Organisation (WHO) standard. In most well locations, the suspended particulate matters were not sufficient enough to contaminate the ground water except at the College of Physical and Applied Science (COLPAS) and Zenith bank locations, which have suspended particulate load of l200mg/L and 700mg/L respectively. These high values suggest contamination. Based on the pattern of flow and the determined values of particulate matter, the interaction of the Kwa Ibo River and the boreholes were also found to occur at COLPAS and the Zenith bank within the study area. Generally, the flow progrades from north to south of the study area. The pattern and distribution of each parameter was contoured using Surfer 8 software. The flow pattern and distribution actually shows the direction of flow and the actual position of groundwater interaction between the water in the boreholes and the water from the Kwa Ibo River. The high values of particulate suspended matter at COLPAS and Zenith bank are symptomatic of its concentration within these indicated positions. To ascertain the degree of pollutant and contaminant migration from the Kwa Ibo xiv River to the groundwater within the premises of MOUAU, the data of some ions namely Na 2+ 2+ + 2+ 2+ 2+ 2- - - 3- 2+ ,Mg ,Ca 'K ,Cu , As , Pb ,SO4, Cl, NO3 , PO4,Cr , present in the groundwater wells were investigated to assess their chemical conditions and pollutant levels. The correlation + 2- + - 2+ 2- 2+ - coefficient between the quality parameter pairs Na - SO4, Na - Cl, Mg - SO4, Mg -Cl, Ca2t Ci, K- S042 , Cr2t As2 , Cu2 SO42 , As2t S042 , As2-NO3of the migrated fluid was computed to be 0.5, 0.3, 0.5, 0.2, 0.5, 0 0,0.3, 0,0 respectively. From the decision rule, it reveals weak/low correlation which infers less pollution of the trace elements within the study location.