GEO-ELECTRICAL INVESTIGATION OF AQUIFER PROTECTIVE CAPACITY IN KUBWA BASEMENT COMPLEX AREA, ABUJA, NIGERIA

Increased demands for water have stimulated development of underground water resources. As a result, techniques for investigating the occurrence and movement of groundwater have been improved. The availability of safe and potable water in an environment is a veritable index of a great role to the development and growth of a society. This work involves using the vertical electrical sounding (VES) method to locate and delineate subsurface water structures, aquifer protective capacity and hence estimate the groundwater potential of Kubwa Village, Phase one (1) and Phase two (2) in Bwari area council FCT Abuja Nigeria. A total of 18 VES using the Schlumberger Configuration were carried out in different parts of the study area. The obtained field data were analyzed and interpreted using Ipi2win software. The curves revealed that the area is characterized by 3-4 classes of geoelectric layers. Topsoil layer of thickness and resistivity values ranging from 1.01-2.81 m and 262-1330 ohms, partially/weathered layer ranging from 1.19–5.01 m and 49.4-154 ohms, partially/fractured layer ranging from 27.7–128 m and 308-966 ohms, and the fresh basement layer ranging from infinity in thickness and 495-61296 ohms, also the longitudinal conductance of the overburden units ranges from 0.02-0.36 mhos. Based on the results of the interpretation, it has been inferred that the area covered by the study has moderate groundwater potential.