Impacts of Terrain Conductivity Survey for Groundwater Investigation in a Typical Sedimentary Formation; A Case Study of Itori, South-West Nigeria

Abstract

A geophysical investigation for groundwater development involving conductivity measurement using Electromagnetic profiling was conducted to locate fractured and fissured zones and associated groundwater containing media at Itori communities, Southwestern Nigeria. The area is underlain by the typical sedimentary rocks of South-West, Nigeria with the local geology predominantly clay, shale, clay sand, limestone and Sandstone. Measurements of the ground conductivity were carried out with Geonics EM 34-3 along 5 traverses whose profile lengths varied between 160 and 200 m. Intensive geophysical fieldworks were performed utilizing Frequency Domain Electromagnetic Method (FDEM) using Geonics-EM-34 to determine the vertical and lateral variations of subsurface conductivity probing depths of 20 m, 40 m and 60 m. The EM data were acquired at 500 m intervals along 10 profiles. The Vertical Dipole Moment in the first layer exhibited the highest true conductivity and lowest true conductivity of 42.65 mS/m and 29.1 mS/m for EMITO1 and EMITO2 respectively and the corresponding Horizontal Dipole Moment exhibited the highest true conductivity of 36.0 mS/m and 25.41 mS/m for EMITO1 alongside EMITO2 and EMITO8 respectively while the Vertical Dipole Moment in the second layer exhibited the highest true conductivity of 45.62 mS/m and lowest true conductivity of 34.76 mS/m for EMITO1 and EMITO8 respectively and the corresponding Horizontal Dipole Moment exhibited the highest true conductivity of 44.0 mS/m and lowest true conductivity of 36.3 mS/m for EMITO3  and EMITO8 respectively. The qualitative interpretation of EM results identified areas of hydrogeologic importance and forms a predictive and suggestive basis for Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) investigation; points of positive EM anomalies were considered as priority area for electrical resistivity sounding and prospective groundwater development, since they suggest lithological variations within the unconsolidated overburden and/or water–filled fissures in the bedrock. The identified major geological interfaces were suspected to be of weathered zones