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Mapping Saltwater Intrusion using Transient ElectroMagnetic Data in Maopa, Central Province, Papua New Guinea

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posted on 2021-12-08, 08:00 authored by Verave, Ronald

Saltwater intrusion studies in coastal Papua New Guinea (PNG) are a rarity despite recognized vulnerabilities to salination of coastal groundwater resources. For many seaside communities such as Maopa the threat of salination is exacerbated by high extraction rates by a growing population and the likelihood of the effects of climate change. Saltwater intrusion can be addressed using various methods, including direct water sampling from wells and electrical resistivity measurements. This study advances knowledge of a previous assessment of saltwater intrusion and groundwater in this region that used DC Schlumberger resistivity soundings, through an extensive and cost-effective Transient ElectroMagnetic (TEM) survey. The study aims to map the lateral and vertical extent of salination and the characterization of groundwater in the landward direction over seven lines of TEM soundings along Keakalo Bay. The TEM method proved successful in identifying four main geoelectric layers. The top layer has a highly variable resistivity (range of 5 to 355 Ωm) inferred as the vadose zone. Beneath this layer is a layer of intermediate resistivity (100 Ωm > p ≥ 20 Ωm) characterizing a perched freshwater aquifer with a thickness range of 3.2 to 15 m. An intermediate layer of low resistivity (20 Ωm > p ≥ 3 Ωm) was detected at the boundary separating the freshwater aquifer from the inferred saltwater intrusion. This layer is typically thicker than the freshwater aquifer and is referred to as the mixing zone. The deepest layer constituting the salination zone has a very low resistivity (3 Ωm > p ≥ 0.4 Ωm), occurring at depths of up to 42 m. The depth to the salination zone varied from deep in the middle of the survey area to shallow in the fringes of the survey. This pattern is reflective of surface seawater infiltration marked by mangrove forest in the interior and subsurface infiltration from the coast. Similar depth trends but at shallower depths were also observed for the mixing zone, and the freshwater region. In some cases the mixing area overwhelms the freshwater regions. Layering confirmed groundwater resource and salination patterns as those of basic models reflective of small island hydrology, except that salination and the freshwater boundary were less distinctive due to the relatively high thickness of the dispersion zone. The use of different sounding parameters in line 7 provided useful information about the nature of the deep basement unit and thickness of the overlying unconsolidated quaternary sediment.

History

Copyright Date

2019-01-01

Date of Award

2019-01-01

Publisher

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Rights License

Author Retains Copyright

Degree Discipline

Geophysics

Degree Grantor

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Degree Level

Masters

Degree Name

Master of Science

Victoria University of Wellington Unit

Institute of Geophysics

ANZSRC Type Of Activity code

3 APPLIED RESEARCH

Victoria University of Wellington Item Type

Awarded Research Masters Thesis

Language

en_NZ

Alternative Language

en

Victoria University of Wellington School

School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences

Advisors

Ingham, Malcolm