Determination of the thickest aquifer using increasing boreholes in Athi river town and its environs of Machakos county, Kenya.

Abstract

This project mainly focuses on determining the relative thickness of the aquifers in Athi River town and its Environs. It looks into details the increase in the number of registered boreholes in the area from 1945 to year 2009 and the data concerning these boreholes is used to analyze various aspects. Geologically the area is mainly composed of volcanic rocks such as the phonolites and the athi series which are underlain by the crystalline Basement system. The results of this study show that the area has three aquifers the near surface, the intermediate, and the deep aquifer. These aquifers have features and characteristics which differ from one aquifer to the other. This project also tries to analyze the lateral continuity of these aquifers and their relative thicknesses from place to place. The water rest levels and strike levels have been studied so as to examine the kind of the aquifers in this area whether they are confined unconfined or semi confined depending on the water rise due to piezometric pressure in the boreholes within the study area. The research has also tried to find out whether there is any possibility of determining whether the output of an aquifer is affected by variation in thickness or not