Authors : Marere Omamode Samuel; Aghwefada Tegar

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 6 - June

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/rtfud39c

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/3aahjm2n

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jun187

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Abstract : In coastal area of the Niger Delta, Nigeria, where shallow aquifer is predominant source of domestic water supply, saline water intrusion is a very serious problem to groundwater resources. The research in this project attempts to determine the degree of saline water intrusion and to map sustainable groundwater development zones on Burutu Island with the aid of Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and hydrogeological conceptual modelling. 5 dipoles were deployed along five traverses to perform two-dimensional ERT surveys and the resulting resistivity sections were interpreted using known coastal resistivity classification techniques to identify the freshwater, brackish and saline water zones. ERT results show significant resistivity variations laterally and vertically over the study area. Deeper subsurface layers in certain areas of Traverses 1 and 2 are dominated by low resistivity (<15 Ωm) interpreted as saline to brackish water intrusion, while higher resistivity (>70 Ωm) values are present in the freshwater bearing sand and gravel units in Traverses 3 and 4. The result of this geophysical interpretation has been verified by hydrochemical data from hand duged wells, taken from a past study within the region. The electrical conductivity and TDS values are quite similar to World Health Organization (WHO) guideline values, and zones with low resistivity indicate saline intrusion in the affected areas, and the zones of high resistivity indicate low salinity groundwater. Based on the ERT interpretation and supporting hydrochemical evidence, an integrated conceptual hydrogeological model is presented to illustrate the encroachment of saline wedges into the freshwater aquifers from inland areas. The results show that sustainable exploitation of the groundwater resources on the Burutu Island is limited to shallow to intermediate depth in the high resistivity zones with saline water intrusion at deeper depths.

Keywords : Saline Water Intrusion, Conceptual Hydrogeological Model, Coastal Aquifer, Groundwater Development, Niger Delta, Burutu Island.

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