Entry from Directory of Selected Israeli Water-related Projects

TITLE:	Identification of the salinization sources of the Yarkon-Taninim aquifer
PROBLEM:	The salinity of the water in the Yarkon-Taninim aquifer is highly variable in space both horizontally and vertically. Moreover, certain parts of the aquifer show a trend of increasing salinity. A correct identification of contamination sources can assist in guiding the policies of groundwater exploitation and treatment. The problem becomes complicated when the ratios between concentrations of the major ions become close to those of seawater. These ratios cannot distinguish between currently invading seawater and ancient seawater which has saturated the rock in the geological past and is currently leached out by its replenishment.
OBJECTIVES:	Development of new geochemical criteria for identifying the sources of pollution of the Yarkon-Taninim aquifer which will enable to distinguish between salinization by present seawater and salinization by seawater which was contained by the rocks of the aquifer in ancient geological periods.
APPROACH:	The main idea of the project is to test whether selected trace elements can serve as indicators for distinguishing between old and new seawater.
BEGINNING DATE:	1.4.1996
ENDING DATE:	31.10.1998
CURRENT PROGRESS OR INTERIM RESULT:	A preliminary investigation which involved chemical analyses of water from wells between the recharge area end the Rosh-Haayin spring has shown that according to the Na/CL ratio, the well water is a mixture of fresh water with seawater. But, the ratios of the trace elements Li and Sr to Chloride indicate that the source of salt is an evaporated brine of old seawater which is leached out from the aquifer by the replenishment.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR NAME:	Amitai Katz
ADDRESS:	Earth Science Institute, Hebrew University, Givat-Ram campus, Jerusalem 91904
TELEPHONE:	972-2-6584620
TELEFAX:	972-2-6514805
EMAIL:

List || Next || Previous