The Groundwater Flow Behavior and the Recharge in the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System during the Wet and Arid Periods

The Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS) is made up of three major sub-basins: Kufra, Dakhla, and the N. Sudan Platform. It one world’s largest groundwater systems. aquifer’s hydrologic setting, connectivity its sub-basins, flow across these sub-basins are currently unclear. To address issues, we used a combined approach that included: (1) regionally calibrated model mimics early (>10,000 years) steady-state conditions under wet climatic periods later (<10,000 years BP–1960; 1960–2010) transient arid periods; (2) ages (36Cl, 81Kr) isotopic (18O, 2H) data. NSAS was recharged on regional scale in previous however, dry periods, outcrops still receiving local modest recharge. A progressive increase 36Cl found along directions structures sub-parallel to direction. NE–SW Pelusium mega shear zone preferential conduit from Kufra Dakhla sub-basin. south-to-north hampered by Uweinat–Aswan basement uplift. findings provide useful information about best ways use NSAS.