ASSESSING THE SEDIMENTOLOGY ALONG RIVER BENUE FLOODPLAIN FOR APPLICATION USING MANUAL DRILLING, NORTH EASTERN NIGERIA
B. A. ANKIDAWA *
Department of Agric. and Environmental Engineering, SEET, P.M.B. 2076, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This research aim to assess the sedimentology along the shallow alluvial floodplains of River Benue, North Eastern Nigeria. Hand-drilling techniques are affordable means for the farmers to abstract water from these shallow aquifers on the floodplain sediments. Determining the sedimentology of the floodplain will improve farming activities and food security in this region and the country at large. Floodplain sedimentology was assessed at seventeen natural riverbank outcrops and twelve hand-drilled boreholes. At each location, sediment samples were collected from every exposed sedimentological unit. Magnetic susceptibility (used to classify the source of sediment and the process of their formation) revealed that the main source of the sedimentary materials was upstream of the study site and varies little over time. The floodplain alluvial sediments are completely dominated by sand and sandy silts that are potentially very suitable for application of hand drilling techniques.
Keywords: Sedimentology, floodplains, river benue, hand-drilling techniques, boreholes, magnetic susceptibility