Heavy metal contamination in the El-Gharbia Governorate (District) of Egypt was identified by using remote sensing, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry as the main research tools. Digital Elevation Model (DEM), Landsat 8 and contour map images were used to map the landforms. Different physiographic units in the study area are represented by nine soil profiles. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) was used for geochemical analysis of 33 soil samples. Vanadium (V), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations were measured and they all exceeded the average global concentrations identified by Wedepohl (1995). Ni and Cr concentrations exceeded recommended values in all soil profile horizons (Canadian Soil Quality Guidelines, 2007), while Cu had a variable distribution. Zn concentrations are under recommended concentration limits in most soil samples. Contamination Factor, Pollution Load Index and Degree of Contamination indices were used to assess the environmental risks of heavy metal contamination from the soils. All analysed metals pose some potential hazard and pollution levels were particularly high near industrial and urban areas

Urban sprawl is one of the main problems that threaten the limited highly fertile land in the Nile Delta of Egypt. In this research, satellite images of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) 1992, Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) 2001 and Egypt Sat-1 2009 have been used to study the urban sprawl and its impact on agricultural land in Qalubiya Governorate. Maximum likelihood supervised classification and post-classification change detection techniques were applied for monitoring the urban sprawl in this study area. Ground truth collected during several field trips conducted in 2009 and a topographic map from 1992 were used to assess the accuracy of the classification results. Using ancillary data, visual interpretation and expert knowledge of this area through GIS further refined the classification results. Post-classification change detection technique was used to produce change image through cross-tabulation. Combining the soil and land capability maps, on one hand, and the urban thematic layers, on the other hand, using GIS, made it possible to point out the risk of urban expansion on the expense of the highly capability class. During the (1992–2009) period, the high capable soils (Class I) decreased from 683.2 km² to 618.5 km². The moderate capable soils decreased from 100.5 km² to 93.8 km² whereas the marginally capable soils decreased from 209.1 km² to 198.3 km², during the same period. The urban encroachment over the non-capable soils was very limited during the 1992–2001 period. The pattern of urban sprawl changed during the 2001–2009 period whereas most of the urban expansion was on the expense of the non-capable soils.

This paper investigates the development of waterlogging in the cultivated and arable areas within typical dryland closed drainage basins (e.g. the Farafra and Baharia Oases), which are located in the Western Desert of Egypt. Multi-temporal remote sensing data of the Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) were collected and processed to detect the land cover changes; cultivations, and the extent of water ponds and seepage channels. The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation model (DEM) has been processed to delineate the catchment morphometrical parameters (i.e. drainage networks, catchment divides and surface areas of different basins) and to examine the spatial distribution of cultivated fields and their relation to the extracted drainage networks. The soil of these closed drainage basins is mainly shallow and lithic with high calcium carbonate content; therefore, the downward percolation of excess irrigation water is limited by the development of subsurface hardpan, which also saturates the upper layer of soil with water. The subsurface seepage from the newly cultivated areas in the Farafra Oasis has revealed the pattern of buried alluvial channels, which are waterlogged and outlined by the growth of diagnostic saline shrubs. Furthermore, the courses of these waterlogged channels are coinciding with their counterparts of the SRTM DEM, and the recent satellite images show that the surface playas in the downstream of these channels are partially occupied by water ponds. On the other hand, a large water pond has occupied the main playa and submerged the surrounding fields, as a large area has been cultivated within a relatively small closed drainage basin in the Baharia Oasis. The geomorphology of closed drainage basins has to be considered when planning for a new cultivation in dryland catchments to better control waterlogging hazards. The "dry-drainage" concept can be implemented as the drainage and seepage water can be conveyed through the inactive alluvial channels into certain abandoned playas for evaporation.