Delineation of Regional Arid Karstic Aquifers: An Integrative Data Approach

Abstract

This research integrates data procedures for the delineation of regional ground water flow systems in arid karstic basins with sparse hydrogeologic data using surface topography data, geologic mapping, permeability data, chloride concentrations of ground water and precipitation, and measured discharge data. This integrative data analysis framework can be applied to evaluate arid karstic aquifer systems globally. The accurate delineation of ground water recharge areas in developing aquifer systems with sparse hydrogeologic data is essential for their effective long-term development and management. We illustrate the use of this approach in the Cuatrociénegas Basin (CCB) of Mexico. Aquifers are characterized using geographic information systems for ground water catchment delineation, an analytical model for interbasin flow evaluation, a chloride balance approach for recharge estimation, and a water budget for mapping contributing catchments over a large region. The test study area includes the CCB of Coahuila, Mexico, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve containing more than 500 springs that support ground water-dependent ecosystems with more than 70 endemic organisms and irrigated agriculture. We define recharge areas that contribute local and regional ground water discharge to springs and the regional flow system. Results show that the regional aquifer system follows a topographic gradient that during past pluvial periods may have linked the Río Nazas and the Río Aguanaval of the Sierra Madre Occidental to the Río Grande via the CCB and other large, currently dry, upgradient lakes.

Isotopes as Tracers of Water Origin in and Near a Regional Carbonate Aquifer: The Southern Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico

“…Nonetheless, the carbonate strata in and east of the Sacramento Mountains compose a regional aquifer system over a distance of 130 km. Regional carbonate aquifers of similar extent have been demonstrated elsewhere in the region on the basis of geochemical modeling, east of the Salt Basin in West Texas [28], and in the region southwest of the Cuatrocienegas Basin of Coahuila, Mexico [29].…”

Dynamics of Land Cover Changes and Delineation of Groundwater Recharge Potential Sites in the Aguanaval Aquifer, Zacatecas, Mexico

“…Formerly, for a precipitation event, the runoff amount will not be large enough to create intercommunicated pluvial networks. In geology, a previous research carried out by Wolaver et al (2008) utilized the structure of sub-surface porosity materials in reference to groundwater flow patterns. They presented a generalized hydrostratigraphic table to estimate the recharge potential as a function of lithology features ( Table 2).…”

Understanding the hydrogeology and surface flow in the Cuatrociénegas Basin (NE Mexico) using stable isotopes

“…Estimates of spring discharge in the CCB are basic (calculations are based on discharge from 1-2 water sources) but are lower than those of regional extraction, ranging from approximately 3.5 x 10 7 m 3 /yr to 1.26 x 10 8 m 3 /yr (Johannesson et al, 2004;Wolaver et al, 2008). This is compounded by basin wide potential evapotranspiration (PET) in the region of 2.8 x 10 9 m 3 /yr, or 2000 mm/yr (Johannesson et al 2004).…”