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Impact of structural fabric on development of karst aquifer in Ayn Zayanah-Al Coeffiah area in Benghazi plain, NE Libya

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Abstract

The Ayn Zayanah-Al Coeffiah (synonym Al-Kweifiya) area is part of Al Jabal Al Akhdar in the northeast Benghazi city. The Miocene Benghazi Formation is the dominant lithology. It is affected by numerous karstic features (dolines and conduits) such as Hawa Buhmira, Eftimah and Al Majdoub lakes, as well as the Hawa Al Mirisi, and Hawa Bu Karmah caves. Detailed mapping and structural analysis in the conduit system and surrounding dolines indicated the passage pattern dominated by NW–SE to NE–SW and N to S oriented faults also the orientation of all dolines long axes are NW–SE, N–S, and NE–SW which is parallel to the regional fault systems of the Central-Western parts of Al Jabal Al Akhdar. The fault movement induced zones of broken and crushed rocks which increase dissolution and form small-scale karstic features. Here, the collected water on the surface for considerable time to be penetrating into the ground water through cavities leading to further stages of karstification. This separates the rock masses by free surface expansion due to stress relief and enlarged joints and faults followed by roofs collapsing and formation of the present dolines. This process of karstification plays a significant role in forming hydraulic connections between aquifers and seawater. This intrusion will increase whenever the groundwater is heavily-pumped through the Benghazi plain karstic systems. The coastal spring (Ayn Zayanah) is the main natural outlet of a wide catchment zone known as the Benghazi Groundwater Basin that discharges into the Blue Lagoon ended into the sea.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the general water authorities in Tripoli and Benghazi for help and giving permission to use the data from unpublished reports in their libraries. Special thanks must go to Dr. Rosario Ruggieri and Hyblean Center for Speleo-Hydrogeological Research (CIRS) for the invitation to the conference. We also would like to thank the Head of the Earth Sciences Department Dr. Saad El Shari for his encouragement to participate in the International Scientific Conference (Karst and Man 2019) that was held in Ragusa, Italy. The authors would like to thank Dr. Khalifa Abdunnaser for respected review that led to the improvement of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science, Earth Sciences Department, University of Benghazi, P.O.B. 1308, Benghazi, Libya

    Fathi M. Salloum, Moftah H. El-Shawaihdi, Ahmed M. Muftah & Mohammed H. Al Riaydh

  2. Sirte Oil Company for Production, Manufacturing of Oil and Gas, Marsa El Brega, P.O. 385, Tripoli, Libya

    Ahmed A. Al Amin

  3. Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha, 13518, Egypt

    Maher A. El Amawy

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  1. Fathi M. Salloum
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  2. Ahmed A. Al Amin
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  3. Moftah H. El-Shawaihdi
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  4. Maher A. El Amawy
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  5. Ahmed M. Muftah
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  6. Mohammed H. Al Riaydh
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Contributions

The first author (FS) was the Ayn Zayanah-Al Coeffiah groundwater project technical manager and site engineer who supervised most drilling and testing, monitoring groundwater hydraulics and quality, supervising most operations and consultants, and later was the General Manager of the General Water Authority. Data used in this research paper is officially authorized.

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Correspondence to Fathi M. Salloum.

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Salloum, F.M., Al Amin, A.A., El-Shawaihdi, M.H. et al. Impact of structural fabric on development of karst aquifer in Ayn Zayanah-Al Coeffiah area in Benghazi plain, NE Libya. Carbonates Evaporites 37, 65 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-022-00811-3

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