Geophysical assessment of aquifer vulnerability and management: a case study of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State

Abstract Seventeen vertical electrical soundings and seven electrical resistivity tomography profiles were carried out at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria. The study involves the use of Schlumberger and Wenner electrodes configuration. The thrust of this work is on determining the vulnerability of the hydrogeological units by employing the aquifer vulnerability index (AVI) method. The resistivity data measured were interpreted manually and with computer software packages, which gave the resistivity, depth and thickness for each layer within the maximum current electrodes separation. The hydraulic conductivity (K) and hydraulic resistance (C) of the protective layers estimated from the primary parameters estimated have values ranging from 0.0434 to 0.4890 m day−1 and 38.37 to 1005.84 day−1, respectively. AVI of the study shows that the study area is characterised by low to high AVI with moderate AVI as dominant. This is to help in delineating aquifer protective zones and also possible locations, which further helps in groundwater resource exploration and management.