Geophysical investigation of a mineral (salt) water aquifer in Turkey

The hydrogeological conditions in Uludag (Nilufer River catchment, Bursa, Turkey) were assessed, using time-domain electromagnetic soundings, electrical resistivity and induced polarisation tomography, to detect the most promising zones for new water-well siting, in order to increase the quantity of water for bottling. The hydrogeological model is quite complex: deep mineral and thermal water rises from a main vertical fault which separates two lithological complexes. The highly mineralised (deep) water is naturally mixed with low mineralised water at a shallow depth, 30–40m; the mixed mineral water is found in some surface springs and shallow wells, while the highly mineralised water is found at depth in some unused deep wells located close to the main fault. All the water points (springs and wells) are located inside a “mineral water belt” on the north side of the Nilufer River. The geophysical survey confirmed the hydrogeological model and highlighted four promising zones for well siting (zones with very low electrical resistivity and high induced polarisation anomalies, corresponding to the main water-bearing faults). One of the geophysical anomalies, the furthest from the exploited sources, was verified by means of a test well; the drilling results have confirmed the water mixing model.