The Environmental Atlas of Abu Dhabi Emirate

52°E

53°E

54°E

55°E

139

H YDROGEOLOGY A QUIFERS & W ATER R ESOURCES

Ra's al- Khaimah

Umm al-Qaiwain

Abu Dhabi Emirate is divided into two structural regions, the Eastern Region and the Western (Al Gharbia) Region. Groundwater, which accounts for most of the water consumed in the Emirate, occurs in these regions as either consolidated or unconsolidated shallow deposit aquifers or as bedrock/structural aquifers. The Emirate is predominantly underlain by Quaternary sand and gravel aquifers. The Eastern Region aquifers are underlain by the Upper Fars Formation, which comprises conglomerates of dolomite, clay and siltstones. The Western Region

sand aquifers are Quaternary, underlain mostly by the Lower Fars Formation, comprising early Miocene age mudstones and marly dolomites, or limestone. The sabkha , sand dune, palaeodune, alluvial, Baynunah Formation, and Upper and Lower Fars Formation deposits all have distinct hydrogeological properties; the alluvial deposits and sand dune aquifers are the most productive of the unconsolidated units in the Emirate. Increased demand over the past twenty years has significantly lowered these vital water reserves.

A r a b i a n G u l f

Ajman

Sharjah

Qatar

Dubai

25°N

25°N

Mkasib

Abu Dhabi

Qaffay

SA W

Muhayyimat

Ghaghah

Musaffah

C

Bani Yas

Al Ain

Jebel Dhanna

Tm B

C

Ruwais

SA J

SA U

SA S

Sila'a

Tarif

24°N

24°N

Tm B

SA S

Habshan

Ghayathi

Towns

Large/Medium Towns

Madinat Zayed

Roads

Bu Hasa

Dual Carriageway Hydrogeologic Formations in Research Area

Baynunah Formation: Continental Upper Miocene Sandstones and Conglomerates with gypsiferous cap-rocks that form small mesas

Tm B

SA L

Coastal and Inland Sabkhas (salt-flats)

SA S

Oman

Lower Fars Formation (Miocene mudstones and evaporites) outcropping, or near surface

Tm F

Liwa

Quaternary Aquifer / Aquitard units directly underlain by the Lower Fars Formation as basal unit Quaternary Sand and Gravel Aquifer east of Jebel Hafit (Al Jaww Plain) underlain by the Upper Fars and Lower Fars Formations as basal unit Quaternary Sand and Gravel Aquifer underlain by tectonically emplaced dark Marlstones and Shales as main basal unit with occasional limestone layers Quaternary Sand and Gravel Aquifer underlain by the Upper Fars Formation as basal unit

SA L

SA J

23°N

23°N

SA M

SA U

Salt Diapirs (Cambrian)

C

Saudi Arabia

Tm F

No Data

20

0

20

40 Kilometres

52°E

53°E

54°E

55°E

56°E