ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER SALINATION BY SEAWATER INTRUSION IN A TYPICAL LEBANESE HORTICULTURAL AREA

Authors:	M. El Moujabber, B. Bou Samra
Keywords:	Groundwater salination, sweater intrusion, Lebanon
Abstract: In coastal aquifers, saltwater intrusion may cause serious consequences in terms of both environmental and economic impacts. The capability to predict the dynamics of saltwater and freshwater is essential in managing water resources in coastal areas. A study has been carried out in a typical horticultural production area on the Lebanese coast. 14 artesian wells were chosen and water sampling was made once a month for 10 months starting from July 1999 till April 2000. The results showed the vulnerability of the karstic area to seawater intrusion and most of the wells showed values of electrical conductivity higher than 2 dS m^-1 for the whole period of observation with peak values of 5.5 dS m^-1. The increase of water salinity was directly related to the pumping period however rainfall showed little effect on salinity evolution in the artesian wells. This study is the first one to give exhaustive information on water table salination by seawater intrusion in a karstic area on the Lebanese coast.
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