Erian, Wadid 
  
  
  
J 
sustainability and stability of the new rural community in Sugar Beet Area need a knowledge-based method. This is a 
very straightforward approach, because a number of relevant indicators from ecosystem, and socio-economic- system 
are selected based on which a comparison can be made between the different villages. 
The eastern edge of the studied area is the Alexandria to Cairo desert road running from the southern edge of the 
Maryut company farm south towards the Nasr canal, kms 55 to 66 from Alexandria. The northwestern border lies close 
to the Alexandria to Mersa-Matrouh road and railway line. To the south and west lies the western desert. The area is 
commanded by pump stations 3, 4 and 5 on the Nasr canal and the latter two area currently under construction together 
with the canal extension between km 31 and 55. 
The bulk of the studied area lies in a horseshoe shaped basin between two limestone ridges, the land titling gently from 
SW to NE with contours varying from 52.5 m at the desert road. The land is generally flat with slopes less than 1%, 
although the NE comer is undulating and has stepper slopes. 
According to (ULG, 1979) the most striking structural feature is the series of ridges and troughs, which run across the 
studied area. Essentially the geological section can be described as follows: 
Recent and Holocene — Aeolian sand and fluviatile loam. Most noticeable in the southern part of the area. 
Late Pleistocene — Lagoonal clays sometimes gypsiferous sometimes with sand. Generally found throughout the area 
although absent at high elevations such as the Alum Shaltut Ridge. They have been formed during a succession of high 
and low sea levels. : 
Pleistocene — Deltaic sands and gravels sometimes with clay beds. The limestone ridges were formed during this 
period and were probably marine coastal beach ridges formed by successive high sea levels. 
Pliocene — Marine grey clays sometimes with calcareous sandstone beds. These are found throughout the area at 
varying depth. 
The aquifer system comprises an impermeable of marine clays over which lie two distinct zones. The lower zone has a 
high permeability while the upper zone of lagoonal and littoral faces has a low permeability. Although semi-confining, 
the upper zone is not impervious and does not produce a permanent water table. The area is surrounded by impervious 
or low permeability restrictions, which generally prevents discharge of groundwater out of the area. Therefore, the 
aquifer can be considered as a groundwater basin retaining any water, which flows into it. 
The climate of the studied area is semi arid with an annual rainfall varying from 136 mm at 
El Ameriya to the north to 35 mm at south Tahrir to the south. No rain falls between June and September and even 
during November to February, the main rainy season, the rainfall is localized and unpredictable. The mean monthly 
maximum temperature rise to 32.2° C at west Nubariya with an absolute maximum of 41° C. The mean monthly 
minimum temperature drops to 7.5° C. The area is subject to high winds. In the spring the winds are particularly strong, 
dry and frequently dusty and known locally as Khamasin. However, there is considerable variation between day and 
night wind speeds with velocities over 5.0 m/s recorded between 8.00 — 16.00 hrs. Nighttime velocities can fall to 50% 
of the daytime velocities. 
In this current study the effective soil depth, soil salinity and available moisture content data of the different villages 
have been carefully studied and mapped as relatively homogenous units using the ordinary Kriging algorithm. The 
resulted mapping units were then used for the determining of their impact on community stability. 
2. Materials and Methods: 
2.1. Materials used: 
2.1.1. The integrated land and watershed management system ILWIS developed in ITC, (Version 2.2), has been used 
as the main software for this study. The system provides its users with state of the art data gathering, data 
input, data storage, data manipulation, analysis, and data output capability by integrating conventional GIS. 
2.1.2. The following maps were used: 
— The topographic maps of the area sheets NH35-K5b “Alam Musaylikh”, NH3SL-5d “El Hammam”, and 
NH35-L6a “Alam al Jataa”, and NH35L-6b “Jabal Khashm al Qaud”, and NH35L-6¢ “Burj al Arab”, and 
NH35L-6d “Iking Maryut”, scale 1:50,000 produced by the Egyptian general survey authority (1992). 
— The geological map of Egypt, scale 1:2,000.000 produced by the (Ministry of Industry and Mineral 
Resources, 1981). 
— The uncultivated land unit within Sugar Beet Areas area has been produced after, (Erian, et al 1999). 
2.2. Methodology: 
2.2.1 Panchromatic aerial photographs scale 1:25,000 taken during the year 1975 were studied stereoscopically and 
further divisions were made using the geo-pedological approach after, (Zinck, 1997). The main elements used were 
Relief and gray-tone. During the year 1998, the effective soil depths, soil salinity and drought data of 100 detailed soil 
profiles and 346 mini pits of 80 cm depth from soil surface, followed by auger holes were observed from the field in a 
grid system with spacing of approximately 1000 meters. Other information about 80 observation points the represents 
the limestone and the very shallow soils, the edges of the studied areas and some of the uncultivated parts of the area 
were collected. 
Particle size distribution, following the pipette method, using sodium hexameta-phosphate, (Kilmer and Mullins, 
1954). Analyses for soil samples were carried out for chemical analysis: Calcium carbonate content was determined in 
  
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part B7. Amsterdam 2000. 405