Electrical conductivity and depth of groundwater at the Pergamino zone (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina) through vertical electrical soundings and geostatistical analysis

Abstract

In the humid Pampean region of Argentina, a rich agricultural zone, the periodic occurrence of droughts of different intensity is one of the most important factors in the variability of crop yield. Because complementary irrigation is a highly efficient resource to increase such yields, an understanding of groundwater resources is important. This knowledge is limited in topographically smooth zones by the absence of outcroppings and observation boreholes. Water conductivity is another limitation factor if the goal is to avoid soil degradation by irrigation and negative effects for animal and human consumption. The aquifers of the northeastern zone of the Buenos Aires province have been studied regionally, but information at the local scale is limited to sparse boreholes. In this work, a survey using vertical electrical soundings was carried out to determine the depth, thickness, and continuity of shallower aquifers. Both a mapping of the water table and the electrical conductivity distribution of free aquifers were achieved from well data and geophysical results using geostatistical techniques. Recharge areas of the aquifer were recognized as those areas with low conductivity and topographic highs. The discharge areas, mainly at the bed of the Pergamino River, have higher values of conductivity; two zones north and south of the city of Pergamino have conductivities greater than 2000 μS cm −1. Isolines of depth to the fresh-salty water interface showed different values over the Pergamino River, with some local maxima at the swamp zone and near Pergamino.