Bovine leather tanning produces a large amount of waste, mainly liquids that can present elevated values of total dissolved solids, Cr, Fe, among others. Due to the high organic load, the oxygen of the rivers can be depleted. The study scope was to investigate a tannery industry shallow subsurface using electrical resistivity and induced polarization geophysical methods. The refereed industry operates since 1993 and is located in Portão, State of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. This study aimed the geophysical mapping of the contaminant plume and also to determine the groundwater flow direction. Generally, the chromium occurs in its trivalent state in minerals, and can be oxidized to the hexavalent state (carcinogenic) in alkaline environments. Due the presence of acids and salts in tanning wastewater the amount of total dissolved solids increases substantially in soil and groundwater, turning them more conductive. Twelve survey lines were set using dipole-dipole array to acquire the geoelectric data. The results are displayed in depth models, allowing to characterize the plume by its low resistivity values (<60 Ohm.m), most of them corresponding with low chargeability values (< 3 mV/V). Contrasting with the residual soil and sandstone that are not contaminated. The models allowed to estimate the plume dimension and determinate its preferential flow direction, that matches the terrain topography.