INTEGRATED SOLUTION FOR THE WATERLOGGING PROBLEM: A STUDY ON EL- MINYA, EGYPT

The waterlogging in the low lands is caused by the seepage coming from the cultivation of the neighboring cultivated new high lands. This seepage is due to the unlined surface water canals and the use of flooding irrigation system in both the old and the new cultivated lands. In addition, the existence of clay lenses with shallow depth in the soil zone of the old cultivated lands creates a perched condition leading to a rapid rise in soil water table. The aim of this paper is to embrace an integrated approach to minimize the waterlogging problem in the low lying lands for better crop production. El-Edwah region in El Minya governorate, is one of the most areas suffering from waterlogging problem. Visual MODFLOW was used to simulate the groundwater system in the Quaternary aquifer trying to mitigate the problem. The model was calibrated for both steady and transient states; three mitigation measures scenarios were applied to solve the waterlogging problem. The three scenarios are; the installation of pumping wells around the waterlogged area, the execution of subsurface drains and the construction of cutoff wall barrier . The results of these scenarios were compared from the groundwater drawdown and the implementation cost point of views. The most efficient scenario was the pumping wells with high drawdown values and low cost, the cut off wall scenario hasn't any significant observed draw down regardless the cost, and the scenario of subsurface drains has the highest cost. It's highly recommended to apply the pumping wells as a temporary solution as fast as possible to mitigate waterlogging problem in the suffering areas. For permanent solution for the waterlogging, subsurface drains should be used even though its high cost.