Hydrogeophysical methods and hydrogeological models: basis for groundwater sustainable management in Valle Alto (Bolivia)

Abstract

In Bolivia climate change and anthropogenic activities such as extensive agriculture, industries and urbanization have increased the groundwater demand and extraction, which is leading to severe stress on groundwater resources in several regions of Bolivia. This research aims to present an overview of different geophysical surveys performed in Valle Alto (central Bolivia), in particular in the Punata and Toco alluvial fans. The application of geophysics can have an implication in broadening the knowledge about local aquifers, which later might assist in proposing sustainable groundwater exploitation and protection plans. The geophysical results revealed two similar aquifer systems contained in unconsolidated sediments. A refinement of the hydrogeological conceptual models in terms of layering, lateral variation and thicknesses was performed in both areas. Moreover, geophysical surveys revealed geological features such as faults and saline regions which have not been reported previously in other studies. Such information is aimed to be the basis for further debates on groundwater protection, management, planning, and decision-making between local water user organizations and municipalities.

Subsurface geological, hydrogeophysical and engineering characterisation of Etioro-Akoko, southwestern Nigeria, using electrical resistivity tomography

“…ERT offers continuous profiling of the earth medium and characterisation of soil constituents, vadose zone, thicknesses of strata/overburden covers, bedrock topography and structures for sustainable groundwater exploitation (Daily et al 1991;Arora and Ahmed 2011;Arora et al 2016;Uhlemann et al 2017;Amaya et al 2018;Costall et al 2018;Hojat et al 2020;McLachlan et al 2020), as well as information about soil properties pertinent to engineering studies (Abu-Zied 1994;Ganerød et al 2006;Robineau et al 2007;Wisén et al 2008;Osazuwa and Chii 2009;Ngan-Tillard et al 2010;Maslakowski et al 2014;Mao et al 2015;Maurits et al 2017;Abudeifa et al 2019;Akingboye et al 2020), particularly in complex geological areas. The technique also plays important roles in geology and other large-scale site characterisation (Nguyen et al 2005;Dahlin et al 2007;Bery and Saad 2012;Binley et al 2015;Bernardinetti et al 2018;Dahlin and Loke 2018;Gourdol et al 2018;Mita et al 2018).…”

Using geophysical survey results in the inference of aquifer vulnerability measures

“…They focus on hydrogeophysical applications in which a hydrological model parameter (e.g., water content and solute concentration) is indirectly estimated using a geophysical method. Several other efforts of applying geophysical methods in hydrogeological context could be mentioned here (Gonzales et al ., 2019; Commer et al ., 2020; De Carlo et al ., 2020). In the same context, Hubbard and Rubin (2000) present an overview of available correlations used to link geophysical data with hydrological model parameters.…”

Evaluation of lithostratigraphic units and groundwater potential using the resolution capacities of two different electrical tomographic electrodes at dual-spacing

“…Besides the integration of both methods, the ERT technique has become popular in near-surface investigations due to its cost efficiency, field data acquisition speed, and robust inversion model (Loke et al, 2013;Akingboye and Ogunyele, 2019). It is used in the mapping of lithostratigraphic units, geologic boundary conditions, depth to the top of bedrock, slope monitoring, and creeping/weak soil profiles, etc (Ganerød et al, 2006;Robineau et al, 2007;Crook et al, 2008;Chalikakis et al, 2011;Bery and Saad, 2012;Bery, 2016;Amaya et al, 2018;Gourdol et al, 2018;Bery et al, 2019;Cheng et al, 2019;Akingboye et al, 2020). ERT has been widely used in groundwater/hydrogeology and environmental surveys (Daily et al, 1991;Ahmed and Sulaiman, 2001;Arora and Ahmed, 2011;Maiti et al, 2012;Muchingami et al, 2012;Arora et al, 2016;Uhlemann et al, 2017;Amaya et al, 2018;Sagır et al, 2020).…”

“…It is used in the mapping of lithostratigraphic units, geologic boundary conditions, depth to the top of bedrock, slope monitoring, and creeping/weak soil profiles, etc (Ganerød et al, 2006;Robineau et al, 2007;Crook et al, 2008;Chalikakis et al, 2011;Bery and Saad, 2012;Bery, 2016;Amaya et al, 2018;Gourdol et al, 2018;Bery et al, 2019;Cheng et al, 2019;Akingboye et al, 2020). ERT has been widely used in groundwater/hydrogeology and environmental surveys (Daily et al, 1991;Ahmed and Sulaiman, 2001;Arora and Ahmed, 2011;Maiti et al, 2012;Muchingami et al, 2012;Arora et al, 2016;Uhlemann et al, 2017;Amaya et al, 2018;Sagır et al, 2020). The method has been used to investigate and identify hidden underground structures, control groundwater flow at larger spatial and temporal scales, and monitor river water discharge patterns (Storz et al, 2000;Hayley et al, 2009;Coscia et al, 2012;Tucker-Kulesza, 2017, 2018;Hojat et al, 2020;McLachlan et al, 2020).…”