ABSTRACT
In recent years, urban sprawl began blockading the Pyramids of Giza plateau region, Egypt. In particular, this urban sprawl began approaching randomly around the statue of Sphinx and the surrounding ancient temples. The Pyramids area started to be surrounded by many of the masses of population and expansion in urban developments and gardens from all directions. The increased rates of water leakage from water distribution and sanitation networks of these population blocs, as well as water leakage from nearby canals led to a rise in the groundwater table in some residential areas directly adjacent to the Pyramids area. This consequently led to the leakage of part of this groundwater and its accumulation underneath some sites located in relatively low-lying areas within the Pyramids area. This problem prompted the need to determine the amounts of water that leaks from the surrounding locations. Site characterization using geophysics combined the geophysical interpretations are integrated with hydrogeologic investigations to develop an integrated picture of the hydrogeologic system surrounding the Sphinx area. The integrated combination of geological, geophysical, and hydrogeologic methods are used to develop a three-dimensional groundwater flow model for the area and use it for analysis of the potential danger posed by the developments surrounding the site and possible sources of leakage and to also evaluate the efficiencies of different preventive actions. The three-dimensional model is calibrated to a steady state condition that prevailed in the eighties and then verified using transient conditions covering the period from 1987 to 2008. The model is used to estimate the groundwater fluxes crossing each boundary segment under natural conditions. A number of preventing mechanisms are evaluated using the model and their effect on preventing the rise of groundwater levels around the Sphinx is assessed by the model.
