Geoelectrical investigation of groundwater potential and vulnerability of Oraifite, Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract Electrical resistivity survey employing vertical electrical sounding was carried out in Oraifite, Southeastern Nigeria, involving a total of twenty soundings across, in order to assess the groundwater potential and the aquifer vulnerability in Oraifite. The field data were interpreted using the WINRESIST software, and the resulting geoelectric curves give the resistivities, depths and thicknesses of each geoelectrical layer. Dar Zarrouk parameters and aquifer transmissivity were computed using the values of aquifer resistivity and thickness. From the results, variations of the computed parameters were observed. Aquifer resistivity ranges from 420.1 to 27,585.8 Ωm having an average value of 4906.3 Ωm, while its thickness varies from 13.4 to 93. 9 m. Longitudinal conductance varies from 0.0015 to 0.2136 Ω−1, transverse resistance ranges from 29,388.88 to 1,158,604.0 Ωm2, while the transmissivity varies from 1.1692 to 123.7905m2/day. The contour maps reveal the distributions of these parameters, which help in delineating zones with different layer characteristics. The result from this study can be a reference for decision making in the abstraction and management of groundwater repositories.