Browsing by Autor "Gerhard Barmen"

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A Multidisciplinary Approach for Clarifying the Recharge Processes and Origin of Saline Water in the Semi-Arid Punata Alluvial fan in Bolivia
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2018) Andres Gonzales Amaya; Gerhard Barmen; G. Abad Muñoz
The analysis of stable isotopes assisted in identifying that groundwater in the Punata alluvial fan is mainly recharged by heavy flash floods, and the recharge from rainfall is of less importance. In addition, the hydrochemical analysis identified the Pucara River as the main source of recharge. Other streams in the north and northwest of the fan do not seem to contribute to the recharge. The hydrochemistry also shows that there is an increase of the Na+ and Cl− concentrations in the middle and distal part of the fan. The salinization of groundwater is most likely a result of the mixing of fresh water with residual saline pore water in the lacustrine deposits and/or ion exchange within these layers. Geophysical surveys assisted in describing the aquifer system layering, and indicated a fine-grained bottom layer where ion exchange might occur. This study demonstrates that the integration of several methods (e.g., hydrochemistry, hydrogeophysics, and stable isotopes) is valuable for clarifying ambiguities during the interpretation process and for characterizing hydrogeological processes in alluvial fans in general.
Alluvial aquifer thickness and bedrock structure delineation by electromagnetic methods in the highlands of Bolivia
(Springer Science+Business Media, 2019) Etzar Gómez; Måns Larsson; Torleif Dahlin; Gerhard Barmen; Jan‐Erik Rosberg
The porous aquifers in the area called Challapampa are the most important groundwater reservoirs that supply drinking water to Oruro city in the highlands of Bolivia. They consist of unconsolidated fluvial–lacustrine deposits, resting on a complex sedimentary bedrock and covered by a thin surficial clay layer. The settings of these geological units and the structures governing the flow patterns have barely been investigated, despite this reservoir having been utilized during the last 50 years. This study applied transient electromagnetic (TEM) soundings and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) in the middle part of the alluvial fan of River Paria to investigate the thickness of the porous aquifer and detect the relief of the bedrock. Likewise, some results expressed as resistivity models indicate the possible existence of geological structures below the unconsolidated sediments. The average depth of investigation reached in this study is between 200 and 250 m below the surface, for both the applied methods. The geological structures inferred have similar directions as the major faults in the vicinity, from southeast to northwest, which in turn are assumed as part of fractured aquifers underlying the porous aquifers. The geo-electrical techniques were successfully tested in the study area and the resistivity models from TEM complement very well those obtained from ERT. Therefore, extended investigations using the same techniques would help to develop a more complete description of the hydrogeological settings of the aquifer system.
Electrical Resistivity Tomography and Induced Polarization for Mapping the Subsurface of Alluvial Fans: A Case Study in Punata (Bolivia)
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2016) Andres Gonzales Amaya; Torleif Dahlin; Gerhard Barmen; Jan‐Erik Rosberg
Conceptual models of aquifer systems can be refined and complemented with geophysical data, and they can assist in understanding hydrogeological properties such as groundwater storage capacity. This research attempts to use geoelectrical methods, Electrical Resistivity Tomography and Induced Polarization parameters, for mapping the subsurface in alluvial fans and to demonstrate its applicability; the Punata alluvial fan was used as a case study. The resistivity measurements proved to be a good tool for mapping the subsurface in the fan, especially when used in combination with Induced Polarization parameters (i.e., Normalized Chargeability). The Punata alluvial fan characterization indicated that the top part of the subsurface is composed of boulders in a matrix of finer particles and that the grain size decreases with depth; the electrical resistivity of these deposits ranged from 200 to 1000 Ωm, while the values of normalized chargeability were lower than 0.05 mS/m. The bottom of the aquifer system consisted of a layer with high clay content, and the resistivity ranged from 10 to 100 Ωm, while the normalized chargeability is higher than 0.07 mS/m. With the integration of these results and lithological information, a refined conceptual model is proposed; this model gives a more detailed description of the local aquifer system. It can be concluded that geoelectrical methods are useful for mapping aquifer systems in alluvial fans.
Groundwater Origins and Circulation Patterns Based on Isotopes in Challapampa Aquifer, Bolivia
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2016) Etzar Gómez; Gerhard Barmen; Jan‐Erik Rosberg
Aridity and seasonality of precipitation are characteristics of the highland region in Bolivia. Groundwater becomes an important and safe source of water when surficial bodies are intermittent and affected by natural and anthropogenic contamination. Decades of exploitation of the Challapampa aquifer, combined with lack of information required to understand the groundwater circulation, represent a challenge for reservoir management. This study analyzes isotopic compositions of deuterium and oxygen-18 in different stages in the hydrologic cycle to assess flow patterns in the aquifer, especially in the alluvial fan of River Paria, where records are more extensive in space and time. Interpretations are based on existing and new data. Some implications, such as the age of water, the evaporation effect in groundwater and some thermal intrusions are supported by stable isotopes, tritium, radiocarbon, and electrical conductivity records. New results confirm that modern precipitation over the mountains surrounding the study area is the most important origin of water for shallow aquifers until exploited depths, 100 m below surface. The origin of water in deeper depths, 400 m, seems related to infiltration at higher altitudes and longer residence times.
Quantitative estimations of aquifer properties from resistivity in the Bolivian highlands
(IWA Publishing, 2019) Etzar Gómez; Viktor Broman; Torleif Dahlin; Gerhard Barmen; Jan‐Erik Rosberg
Abstract Resistivity data constitute the largest part of the available information to assess the hydrogeological characteristics of the aquifer system near Oruro, in the central part of the Bolivian Altiplano. Two aquifers are part of this system; top unconsolidated sediments storing fresh water in their granular voids, overlying fractured hard rock formations where saline water was detected in connection to some faults. This study proposes an indirect and cost-effective way to estimate aquifer hydraulic properties for the groundwater management in the region. Hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity in the top aquifer were estimated using an empirical linear relationship between hydraulic conductivity and resistivity. This latter parameter, as well as the aquifer thickness, were obtained from the inverted models corresponding to the geoelectrical tests performed in the study area (electrical resistivity tomography, transient electromagnetic soundings and vertical electrical soundings). The highest estimated transmissivity values are ∼4.0 × 10−2 m2/s located in the centre of the study area, the lowest values are ∼3.4 × 10−3 m2/s, located around thermal intrusions to the south and where the top of the bedrock is shallow (∼20 m depth) to the west. The methodology presented in this study makes wider use of resistivity measurements to identify promising groundwater production sites.
Tracking of geological structures and detection of hydrothermal intrusion by geo-electrical methods in the highlands of Bolivia
(Elsevier BV, 2019) Etzar Gómez; Emil Svensson; Torleif Dahlin; Gerhard Barmen; Jan‐Erik Rosberg
Oruro city in the Bolivian highlands depends solely on groundwater to supply domestic consumption and irrigation. The top porous aquifer currently exploited is not fully understood in aspects like geometry, hydrogeological properties and interaction with other aquifers in the region. Recent studies detected traces of fractures in the bedrock beneath the porous aquifer; these geological structures seem to be part of a fractured aquifer in contact with thermal sources. The present study aims to fill the gap between those recently detected fractures and the well-mapped fault system to the east of the study area and identify hydrothermal flows by using geo-electrical methods like Electrical Resistivity Tomography and Transient Electromagnetic soundings. Thirteen tomographic lines, placed transversely to the direction of three main faults, were meant to identify prolongations of those structures by tracking distinctive low resistivity in sectors where saline water saturates the subsoil. This type of water is also present in some hot springs near Capachos, where hydrothermal flows discharge under artesian conditions. Two of the investigated faults seem extending to the northwest, in agreement with the expected linkage towards the recently detected fractures. These two faults appear to reach a volcanic formation since the hydrothermal flows, going mainly upwards, align with their strikes. The remaining fault seems not to be connected to any hydrothermal source. The study presents new information, data and interpretations intending to improve the knowledge about the geological structures in a sensitive part of the local aquifer system.