الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 249 |  |  |
| | | from | 249 | | |
Abstract
The area of the present investigation is located around Itay EL-Baroud town in the central western part of the Nile Delta to the west of the Rosetta branch. The present study is initiated to trace some of the buried geomorphic units particularly the defunct Canopic branch and its distributaries that once followed the area of study during the Holocene. It is also hoped to carry out hydrogeophysical and geoenvironmental studies on the shallow water aquifer in the study area. It is also hoped to detect some of the possible archaeological structures around Kom Geif (Naukratis). The present study is based on lithofacies analysis of borehole samples and detailed geophysical survey. To achieve the objectives suggested before, a total of 295 boreholes samples were collected at 0.5 - 1.0 m depth interval from twelve drilled shallow boreholes. The different facies encountered in the Upper Quaternary subsurface sequence in the study area are Pleistocene fluvial sand (Nile 3), Holocene aolian fine sand (Nile 2) and Holocene Nile mud which comprises two major facies: brown and greenish black mud. The hydrochemistry of the groundwater in the Pleistocene aquifer is achieved through the analysis of 27 water samples. Almost all water samples reflect a fresh water type and the water quality seems suitable for drinking and domestic uses as well as for the irrigation purposes. Using a Schlumberger electrode configuration, well distributed forty-four vertical electrical soundings (VES’s) were acquired. In addition, a suite of forty-three transient electromagnetic (TEM) measurements were recorded very close to VES stations. The inversion results of VES and TEM together with the water samples analysis and the available geological/hydrological information were integrated to generate a suite of geoelectric resistivity cross-sections and subsurface maps. These geoelectric cross-sections indicate the presence of 3 geoelectrical units. Two generation of defunct channels may be recognized from the interpretation of facies analysis of borehole samples, geoelectric cross-sections, iso-pach and paleotopographic configurations of the Pleistocene sand. Two sites (A & B) around Kom Geif village (Naukratis) were selected to carry out a detailed archaeo-prospection survey. The micro-magnetic survey was carried out by the fluxgate gradiometer model FM36. Seven archaeological structures of mud bricks have been recognized in the two sites. Site A was selected to carry out a detailed electromagnetic survey using GEM-300. There is very clear similarity between the magnetic data and the six conductivity maps and the anomaly associated between them which indicate that these anomalies are related to mud brick. Based on the results obtained from this study, the following consideration should be made for the protection and further development of the region: 1.The information on buried but well-defined position of the Canopic channel in the study area provides baselines to renew archaeological exploration in the western Nile Delta. Also the possibility to recover archaeological material from the buried sand mounds (Geziras sand) can not be ruled out. Since these mounds occur at shallow depths, they warrant further investigation by archaeological excavation. 2.Further detailed investigations are required to trace the defunct Canopic channel and other buried geomorphic units north and south of the study area. 3.Applying a covered drainage system in Kom Geif village particularly near the lake area to decrease water flow towards the lake. Also adequate domestic sewage facilities should be constructed to avoid discharging untreated domestic wastes in the lake. A more radical protective measure is to drain the lake water and refill the depression with mud. 4.The groundwater quality around the area of Kom Geif lake should be monitored to protect the Pleistocene aquifer. 5.Detailed geoenvironmental studies are required to evaluate the impact of the polluted and stagnant saline lake at Kom Geif village on the surrounding environments which may contain valuable archaeological materials. 6.Further detailed archaeo-prospection studies at Kom Geif, El-Nukrash and El-Nubeira villages are required using several geophysical tools particularly magnetic and resistivity methods. Since most of the archaeological features at the area of study are made of mud bricks, it is recommended that the geophysical survey should start using the magnetic tools as it is more effective in such conditions.