Karst Groundwater Resources in Lebanon & Formation of Caves

Dr. Joanna J. Doummar

American University of Beirut- Geology Department- P.O.Box 11-0236- Riad El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020,
E-mail: jd31@aub.edu.lb; 00961-1-35000, Ext 4165

University for Seniors 30-10-2014

Afqa Cave

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Importance of Groundwater

The amount of water on the earth’s surface:

• 95.96% Ocean water
• 2.97% Ice caps and glaciers
• 1.05% as Groundwater
• 0.009% as Lakes, rivers, and streams.

Importance of Groundwater

• Groundwater is used as main resource in arid to semi arid regions, given the scarcity of
surface water.
• Drinking
• Domestic use
• Agricultural
• Industrial
e.g., Daily consumption (150 l/capita/day)

Therefore it is important to
• Assess the availability of groundwater resources
• Ensure a sustainable protection against contamination.

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The Water Cycle

Where does Groundwater come from? Catchment areas or GW basins

Precipitation

Surface runoff
Evaporation +
Transpiration

Infiltration

Spring

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Where does Groundwater come from?
The Water Cycle
Precipitation

Evaporation + Transpiration

Infiltration

Aquifers and Aquicludes

The different types of rocks can be considered aquifers or aquicludes depending on their
permeability and porosity = ability to convey water.

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Aquifers

Aquifers

Aquifers are layers of highly permeable rocks/material with relatively high porosity that can store and
transmit large quantities of ground water.

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Fractured Aquifers

Porous aquifers like sand (water flow in between the grains in pores), whereas
in fractured aquifers water flows in fractures and dissolved cracks
 highly heterogeneous and unpredictable

Groundwater outlets: Springs and wells

SPRINGS
• Springs: natural flow of groundwater and occur when water table intersect the earth’s
surface.

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Groundwater: Springs and wells

WELLS
• When drilling water wells, if ground water rises naturally in a well above the level
where it was initially found, it is called artesian well.

• Artesian well can be found in a confined aquifer: aquifer overlain and underlain by two
aquicludes that keep water under pressure . Water will rise under its own pressure.

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Groundwater: Springs and wells

WELLS
• When the water is pumped from a well, it produces a depression in the water
table known as cone of depression occurring around the well.

• Over-pumping causes depression in the water table at a large area; that

sometimes causes nearby wells to become dry.

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Drawdown due to pumping

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 Geologic Work of Groundwater= Formation of Caves

• Karst is a term used to describe a special style of landscape containing caves and extensive underground
water systems that is developed on especially soluble rocks such as limestone, marble, and gypsum.

• Limestone is a sedimentary rock (composed of CaCO3),

• About 80 % of rock exposure in Lebanon are mostly limestone or dolostone.

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Geologic Work of Groundwater= Formation of Caves

• The primary erosional work of groundwater is the dissolution of soluble rock such as
limestone, therefore responsible for the creation of caverns and other related features.

• Limestone (insoluble in pure water) can be dissolved by water containing weak carbonic
acid (H2CO3 ) as most natural water dissolves carbon dioxide from the air and from
decaying plants.

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 Geologic Work of Groundwater
Water containing carbonic acid follows bedding planes, joints and
dissolving limestone:
The carbonic acid react with calcite to form calcium
bicarbonate and calcium (a soluble material carried away in
solution), forming limestone caverns.

Carbonic acid
CO2 + H2O → H2CO3

CaCO3 + H2CO3 → 2(HCO3)- + Ca2+

Karst Topography

Karst Topography; an irregular terrain formed due to differential dissolution of calcite

• Different types of karst features:
Lapiaz

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Solution pits

Rillen karren

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Input Landforms: dolines

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 Baloua Baatara- Tannourine

Dolines

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Sinkhole in Florida
Leif Skoogfors/Woodfin Camp.

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Geologic Work of Groundwater: Speleothems

In the vadose zone (unsaturated zone), calcite can precipitate again to form:

• Cave features: Speleothems e.g., Stalactites and Stalagmites

2(HCO3)- + Ca2+→ CaCO3 + H2O + CO2

Geologic Work of Groundwater

Speleothems: 2(HCO3)- + Ca2+→ CaCO3 + H2O+ + CO2

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Caves of Lebanon

THE LONGEST CAVES OF LEBANON

( as of 2008, Speleo Club du Liban archives in m)

1 JIITA CAVE {10,050}
2 ROUEISS CAVE {5,460}
3 AFQA CAVE {5,260}
4 AL-KASSARAT CAVE {4,648}
…
6 NABAA AL-SHATAWIE {4,130}

THE DEEPEST CAVES IN LEBANON

( as of 2008, Speleo Club du Liban archives)

1 FAOUAR DARA SINKHOLE {-622}
2 QATTINE AZAR SINKHOLE {-515}
3 BALLOUH BAATARA SINKHOLE {-255}
…
10 TARCHICH SINKHOLE {-147}

Groundwater Resources in Lebanon= Water Budget

Precipitation (Snow and Rain; P)

Evapotranspiration (ETP)

Infiltration/Recharge (I)

Flow in the subsurface

Groundwater
Surface runoff
Rivers (R)

𝐼𝑛𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 − 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 = ±∆𝑆

∆𝑆 = 𝑃 − 𝐸𝑇𝑃 − 𝑅 − 𝐼

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Water Budget= Precipitation in Lebanon

Precipitation (including snow)

= 800- 1800 mm/year; (UNDP, 1970), from
coastal zones to high mountains.

Snow is not measured in Lebanon. therefore

there is a high uncertainty regarding the
precipitation quantities

Water Budget= Infiltration

Main Aquifers in Lebanon= Karst aquifers

Sandstone

Basalt

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Water Budget= Infiltration

Main Aquifers in Lebanon= Karst aquifers

Aquicludes: Impermeable Material

Karst Aquifer: limestone

Water Budget= Precipitation in Lebanon

Infiltration to Groundwater (50-70% depending on the catchment especially high in fractured systems)

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Water Budget= Groundwater outlet

Springs:

Jeita Spring

Afqa Spring

Water Budget= Groundwater outlet

Springs: High variability of discharge and fast response to rain event in karst spring

Jeita Spring

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Water Budget= Groundwater outlet

Anjar Spring
High variability of discharge; very low discharge in summer times

Afqa Spring

Assal Spring

Laban Spring

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Water Budget= Surface Runoff

Rivers: mostly originating from springs

Major rivers: Litani, Assi, and Hasbani

Minor rivers: Nahr Ibrahim, Nahr El Kalb

Groundwater contamination

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Contamination of the Water at the source
 Treatment at the supply

The composition of the raw water often requires processing in a waterworks prior distribution to
the customer.

Problematic ingredients in raw water are:

- heavy metals Iron, Manganese

- organic micropollutants (PPCP, Chlorinated Hydrocarbons)
- Microbial contaminants
- Heavy metals
- Other: Sodium Chloride, Potassium etc...
- Pharmaceuticals

Costly processing methods are involved, hydrogeology helps protecting groundwater at the
source

Microbial Pollution

Drinking water has to be microbiologically clean (0 CFU (Colonies) of Pathogens)

Contamination from disposal of untreated

waste water. E-coli

Microorganisms can reach the groundwater when

a protective soil cover is missing.

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Petroleum products and heavy metals

Elevated heavy metal contents in water originating from recharge areas for Petroleum
byproducts disposal

Pharmaceuticals:
Ibuprofen, Carbamazepine (below toxic limits), cocaine metabolites

Varying concentration and Mass fluxes of Carbamazepine (pharmaceutical) in a spring with time

Agricultural contamination
Pesticides, insecticides and manure
High levels of K+, Na+ and nitrates degradation of the soil quality and subsquently of
Groundwater

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Salt water Intrusion
High levels of salinities in many areas  brakish water
Allowed levels of Chlorides: 500 mg/l
In wells in southern Beirut areas:
e.g., maximum chloride concentration: 8733 mg/l
• due to extensive abstraction

Some Research Investigation related to Groundwater

Jeita: Delineation of catchment area: Tracer tests (funded by BGR: Federal Institute for
Geoscience- Germany 2010-2012)
Groundwater age on the Jeita catchment to know transit times of water in an aquifers
(funded by AUB)

Emerging pollutants in Lebanese springs (transport of pharmaceuticals in groundwater)

Vulnerability studies: Identification of highly vulnerable zones for protection on two pilot
areas (funded by USAID, PEER Science 2014-2017):

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 Jeita: Delineation of catchment areas

Identification of protection zones

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 Sampling for environmental tracers and stable isotopes

Measurement of water levels in the springs and other chemical parameters

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Thank you

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