Criteria for identifying groundwater in rifting basins in arid and semi-arid zones: a case study Sharm El Bahary in Egypt

Some arid and semiarid countries that have large amounts of freshwater stored in rifting basin situations like the Res Sea are probably quite rare internationally. In this paper, we suggest criteria for identifying potential groundwater resource targets in rifting basins based on topographical, geomorphological, morphometric, geological, hydrogeological, hydrological, and vegetation data. The criteria were tested in the Sharm El Bahary basin for identifying targets for groundwater exploration. The priority of these targets depends on the thickness, extent, and lithology of aquifer materials, and the mechanism of recharge. The highest priority groundwater targets have a low topography and are underlain by coarse-textured sediments that have a high infiltration rate. These sites have negligible surface drainage and are located within graben structures where sediment thickness may reach up to 600 m.