Assessment of the renewable groundwater resources of Wadi El-Arish, Sinai, Egypt: modelling, remote sensing and GIS applications

Recharge of the alluvial aquifers flooring Wadi El-Arish in central and northern Sinai, Egypt was investigated. A hydrological model that combined the spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall, suitable infiltration parameters, and appropriate sub-basin unit hydrographs to estimate rainfall excess, transmission losses along stream networks, and downstream runoff was developed. The Wadi El-Arish watershed receives an annual average rainfall of 981.3 x 10 m 3 in the rainy season (November-March) of which our model indicates that 938.7 x 10 s m 3 is the initial upstream loss, 32.5 x 10 m 3 is the transmission loss recharging the alluvial aquifers flooring the stream network, and 10.1 x 10 m 3 is downstream runoff. K e y w o r d s al luvial aquifer ; arid reg ion ; g r o u n d w a t e r r echa rge ; L a n d s a t T M ; r e m o t e sens ing ; S ina i , t r ansmiss ion losses