AccScience Publishing / AJWEP / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/AJWEP025150112
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Dynamic monitoring of unconfined and semi-confined aquifers in the Quaternary system of N’Djamena, Chad

Ali Malloum Bada1,2 ,  Mamadou Malloum Ahmat1,2 ,  Mahamat Ali Ataïb1,2 ,  Mackaye Hassane Taïsso1,2 ,  Allag Waayna Souk1,2 ,  Fabien Kenmogne3*
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1 Department of Geological Engineering (Hydrogeology Option) Hydrochemistry-Hydrology Laboratory, Faculty of Mines and Geology, Polytechnic University of Mongo, Mongo, Chad
2 Department of Geological Engineering (Hydrogeology Option), University of N’Djamena, N’Djamena, Chad
3 Department of Civil Engineering, Advanced Teacher Training College of the Technical Education, The University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon
AJWEP, 025150112 https://doi.org/10.36922/AJWEP025150112
Received: 11 April 2025 | Revised: 16 July 2025 | Accepted: 22 July 2025 | Published online: 19 August 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

This study investigates the spatiotemporal variability of unconfined and semi-confined aquifers in N’Djamena, Chad, based on dynamic monitoring conducted from 2020 to 2024. A total of 40 boreholes—18 in unconfined aquifers and 22 in semi-confined systems—were monitored using piezometers, probes, and GPS instruments during two key periods each year: May (end of the dry season) and November (post-rainy season). Groundwater depths exhibited marked seasonal fluctuations, ranging from 13.5 m to 4.1 m in unconfined aquifers and from 29.1 m to 6.3 m in semi-confined aquifers. Pearson correlation analysis revealed only a moderate relationship with temperature (r = 0.582) and a weak correlation with precipitation (r = 0.390), suggesting that groundwater level variations are not solely or linearly governed by climatic parameters. Instead, they likely result from a combination of thermal influences, delayed infiltration, and lateral recharge through semi-permeable layers. A comparative analysis with the Lake Chad Basin highlighted distinct recharge mechanisms shaped by geological and hydrological contrasts. These findings support differentiated aquifer management strategies—such as using unconfined aquifers for emergency supply and preserving semi-confined aquifers for long-term needs—as well as urban planning interventions, including improved drainage in flood-prone areas such as Sabangali and Gassi. This study contributes to the development of adaptive groundwater governance frameworks in water-stressed and rapidly urbanizing Sahelian environments.

Keywords
Surface water
Renewable aquifer
Quaternary aquifer
Dynamic monitoring
Groundwater levels
Climatic variability
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, Electronic ISSN: 1875-8568 Print ISSN: 0972-9860, Published by AccScience Publishing
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