Modelling the Subsurface Geology and Groundwater Occurrence of the Matsheumhlope Low Yielding Aquifer in Bulawayo Urban, Zimbabwe
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Date
2013-08
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Canadian Center of Science and Education
Abstract
This study is focused on determining the nature, extend and spatial variation of the subsurface and groundwater
in the Matsheumhlope low yielding aquifer so as to improve the understanding of groundwater occurrence within
Bulawayo Metropolitan area. The abstraction and utilisation of groundwater from crystalline basement
complexes have often been hampered by the high rate of borehole failure. For instance, borehole failure in the
Matsheumhlope wellfield that characterises the greater part of Bulawayo City, Zimbabwe, is often ascribed to
many factors which are yet to be investigated locally and regionally. The electrical resistivity method was used
to establish the depth, thickness and sequence of geological units in the low yielding aquifer. Satellite data were
used to delineate the lineaments and assess the topographic features of the area. Geological samples obtained
from boreholes were correlated with the geophysical pseudo sections to give a better view of the subsurface and
groundwater occurrence in the area. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was used to model the geophysical
characteristics of the subsurface giving the potential groundwater occurrence in the area. The study confirmed
that the Matsheumhlope aquifer is a heterogeneous unconfined aquifer with a shallow depth to the basement rock
in highlands of the study area. The results also showed high spatial variation of subsurface formations and
groundwater potential over short distances, thereby indicating the complex nature of mapping basement aquifers.
Borehole failure in the area was attributed to the occurrence of shallow depth of the bedrock underlying some
parts of the aquifer. Therefore the results of the study recommended that the structural and geodynamic analysis
of the fractures of the whole Matsheumhlope aquifer should be done using both structural mapping and
geophysical methods.
Description
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution
license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
Keywords
Groundwater, borehole drilling, vertical electrical sounding, low yielding aquifer, crystalline basement complex
Citation
Chuma et al (2013). Modelling the Subsurface Geology and Groundwater Occurrence of the Matsheumhlope Low Yielding Aquifer in Bulawayo Urban, Zimbabwe. Journal of Geography and Geology; Vol. 5, No. 3; 2013.