Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-06T01:03:42.093Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Utilisation of Groundwater in Jebel el Akhdar, North-East Libya, as a Basis of Agricultural Improvement with Special Emphasis on the El Marj Plain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2015

A. A. Bukechiem
A. A. Bukechiem*
Affiliation:
Geography Department, Garyounis University, Benghazi, Libya
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The critical criteria for regional agricultural development are water and heat. The Jebel el Akhdar region has a semi-arid climate with a marked water shortage except in the winter months. In this paper estimates are made of the runoff which offsets the dry spring and summer and of the storage in the aquifers.

The water level records in such regions as El Marj confirm gradual and regular lowering of the water level in the main aquifer. The associated rise of the salt water/fresh water interface is alarming. Great attention must be paid to variation of such storage reservoirs. This situation in the El Marj area is relatively stable compared with other regions of Libya, reflecting the limited demand and relative storage, particularly when water is utilised from the El Gharigh flood.

The imbalance in the hydrological basin needs more care in its management and use.

Type
Articles
Information
Libyan Studies , Volume 24 , 1993 , pp. 121 - 142
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Libyan Studies 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Addison, H. and Shotton, F. W. 1986. Water supply in the Middle East Campaigns III, collecting galleries along the Mediterranean coast of Egypt and Cyrenaica. Water and Water Engineering 49: 427–437.Google Scholar
Allan, J. A. 1971. Changes in the economic use of land in the vicinity of Tripoli. PhD thesis, SOAS, University of London.Google Scholar
Boyke, H. 1968. Farming in the desert. Science Journal 4(5): 72–80.Google Scholar
Bukechiem, A. A. 1986. Water budget analysis for irrigated development projects: the case of North-East Libya. Seminar paper, Geography Department, Newcastle University.Google Scholar
Bukechiem, A. A. 1987. The management of resources use in semi-arid lands: a case study of agricultural development in Jebel El Akhdar, North-East Libya. PhD thesis, Geography Department, Newcastle University.Google Scholar
Buru, M. 1964. El Marj Plain (Libya): a geographical study. PhD thesis, Geography Department, University of Durham.Google Scholar
Doxiadis Associates 1978. Benghazi Region: physical development plan of existing conditions and alternative strategies, Report 2, Vol. 2. Athens.Google Scholar
El Chandour, K. J. B. and Atta, S. A. 1983. Distribution of sodium and potassium in the groundwater of the Nile delta (Egypt), Catena 10: 175–197.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
El Shadle, M. M. 1978. Survey of springs in El Jamahiriyah (third zones). SDWR, Benghazi (in Arabic).Google Scholar
Everdinger, R. O. 1962. The deeper groundwater in Libya, Bulletin Int. Assoc. Sclent. Hydrol. 3: 33–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
FAO 1963. Orientative Notes of the Hydrology ofJebel El Akhdar (Cyrenaica). Benghazi, Libya.Google Scholar
GEFLI 1972a. Soil and Water Resources Survey for Hydro-agricultural Development, Eastern Zone, 2 Water Resources Survey Recommendation. Tripoli, Libya.Google Scholar
GEFLI 1972b. Soil and Water Survey for Hydro-agricultural Development, Eastern Zone, 4 Hydraulic Engineering Schemes. Tripoli, Libya.Google Scholar
GEFLI 1972c. Water Resources Survey for Hydro-agricultural Development, Eastern Zone, 22 Climatology. Tripoli, Libya.Google Scholar
Guerre, A. and Raju, T. S. 1977. Al Marj-Al Abyar: Phase 1 study, groundwater balance attempts, technical report 7. Benghazi, Libya.Google Scholar
Guerre, A. 1978. Hydrological study of Ayn Azyannah, Eastern Libya. In Busrewil, M. T. and Salem, M. J. (eds.), Second Symposium on the Geology of Libya. Al-Fatah University, Tripoli, Libya, 2: 671–701.Google Scholar
Hanna, L. W. 1983. Agricultural meteorology, Progress in Physical Geography 7(3): 328–344.Google Scholar
Hey, P. W. 1968. The geomorphology of the Jebel Al-Akhdar and adjoining areas, Petroleum Exploration Society of Libya, 10th Annual Field Conference. Tripoli: 167–176.Google Scholar
Hydroprojekt, 1971. Irrigation, Wadi Dernah area, Preliminary design. Beograd.Google Scholar
Little, O. M. 1945. Geology of Cyrenaica, Book of Cyrenaica, Part 1.Google Scholar
Marchetti, M. 1938. Idrologia Cirenaica, Biblioteca Agrana Colonia. Istituto Agricolo, Italy.Google Scholar
Newport, T. G. and Hadder, Y. 1963. Groundwater Exploration in Al Marj Area, Cyrenaica, United Kingdom of Libya. Washington.Google Scholar
Noble, N. D. 1966. The hydrology and agriculture of the Jebel El Akhdar, northern Cyrenaica. In Final Reports of Experts on Soil and Water Survey. FAO, Rome.Google Scholar
Pallas, P. 1978. Water resources of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahirya. In Second Symposium of the Geology of Libya. Al-Fatah University, Tripoli, Libya, 2: 539–594.Google Scholar
Pereira, H. C. 1973. Land Use and Water Resources. Cambridge.Google Scholar
SDWR 1976a. Inventory of Water Wells in El Marj-Al Abyar area, Technical Report 6. Benghazi, Libya.Google Scholar
SDWR 1976b. Al Marj-Al Abyar, Phase 1 Study, Hydrochemistry, Technical Report 6. Benghazi, Libya.Google Scholar
SDWR 1984. Piezometry in Al Marj Plain, Unpublished report. Benghazi, Libya.Google Scholar
Stander, W. (undated). General Description of the System of Sub-irrigation; El Marj. Libya.Google Scholar
Wilcox, L. V. Y. and Durum, W. H. 1967. Quality of irrigation water. In Hagan, M. R.et al. (ed.), Irrigation of Agricultural Lands. America Society of Agronomy, Wisconsin, USA, 9: 104–121.Google Scholar
Wright, E. P. and Edmunds, W. M. 1972. Hydrological studies in Central Cyrenaica, Libya. In First Symposium of the Geology of Libya. University of Libya. Tripoli: 459–481.Google Scholar
Wright, E. P. 1977. Groundwater resources in Eastern Libya. Libyan Studies 8: 41–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar