| dc.description.abstract | The study area herein referred to as ‘Enderit area’, is part of the classic East African Rift System
which traverses through Kenya in a north-south direction and is generally a low lying area with
its principal land-use being agricultural and dairy farming. It is evident that more water is
needed in the larger Nakuru area. Enderit area is semi-arid and cannot rely on rainfall; thus the
only other option is to get more groundwater. Groundwater occurrence and distribution is fairly
well known in areas with high density of faults, but within the plains of Enderit, its occurrence in
particular the structural controls can only be postulated. The marginal rift faults and the system
of grid faulting on the Rift floor undoubtedly have a substantial effect on the groundwater flow
systems of the area. In general faults are considered to have two effects on fluid flow. They may
facilitate flow by providing channels of high permeability, or they may prove to be barriers to
flow by offsetting zones of relatively high permeability. For the purpose of identifying and
establishing these inferred buried structures, two geophysical techniques were used, ground
magnetic and electrical resistivity tomography.
The results show that the Enderit area has numerous faults and fractures that are buried. Some of
these faults are deep while others are shallow. Most of the faults are high angled with an average
dip angle of 75 degrees and dipping towards East. Characteristically a single high angle fault that
dips to the west has been identified across all the magnetic profiles with an average dip of 77
degrees. These high angled faults are related to the rifting process. On magnetic profile Line_2S,
an intrusion has been inferred and seems to occur on almost all profiles. An igneous intrusion has
also been clearly delineated using electrical resisitivity and magnetic methods. In addition, a 17
to 30 metres thick aquifer has been established. These findings from the integrated approach
have met the objectives outlined herein. | en |
