Deciphering groundwater flow-paths in fault-controlled semiarid mountain front zones (Central Chile)

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dc.article.number1
dc.catalogadordfo
dc.contributor.authorFigueroa González, Ronny Javier
dc.contributor.authorViguier, Benoît
dc.contributor.authorTaucare, Matías
dc.contributor.authorYañéz Carrizo, Gonzalo Alejandro
dc.contributor.authorArancibia Hernández, Gloria Cecilia
dc.contributor.authorSanhueza Soto, Jorge Luis
dc.contributor.authorDaniele, Linda
dc.date.accessioned2024-05-08T13:27:34Z
dc.date.available2024-05-08T13:27:34Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.description.abstractThe Mountain-Block Recharge (MBR), also referred to as the hidden recharge, consists of groundwater inflows from the mountain block into adjacent alluvial aquifers. This is a significant recharge process in arid environments, but frequently discarded since it is imperceptible from the ground surface. In fault-controlled Mountain Front Zones (MFZs), the hydrogeological limit between the mountain-block and adjacent alluvial basins is complex and, consequently, the groundwater flow-paths reflect that setting. To cope with the typical low density of boreholes in MFZs hindering a proper assessment of MBR, a combined geoelectrical-gravity approach was proposed to decipher groundwater flow-paths in fault-controlled MFZs. The study took place in the semiarid Western Andean Front separating the Central Depression from the Principal Cordillera at the Aconcagua Basin (Central Chile). Our results, corroborated by field observations and compared with worldwide literature, indicate that: (i) The limit between the two domains consists of N-S-oriented faults with clay-rich core (several tens of meters width low electrical-resistivity subvertical bands) that impede the diffuse MBR. The "hidden recharge' along the Western Andean Front occurs through (ii) focused MBR processes by (ii.a) open and discrete basement faults (mass defect and springs) oblique to the MFZ that cross-cut the N-S-oriented faults, and (ii.b) high-hydraulic transmissivity alluvial corridors in canyons. Alluvial corridors host narrow unconfined mountain aquifers, which are recharged by indirect infiltration along ephemeral streams and focused inflows from oblique basement faults. This study also revealed seepage from irrigation canals highlighting their key role M the recharge of alluvial aquifers in the Central Depression. The proposed combined geophysical approach successfully incorporated (hydro)geological features and geophysical forward/inverse modelling into a robust hydrogeological conceptual model to decipher groundwater flow-paths in fault-controlled MFZs, even in the absence of direct observation points. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
dc.fuente.origenConveris
dc.fuente.origenORCID
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145456
dc.identifier.issn0048-9697
dc.identifier.scopusid2-s2.0-85100428805
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145456
dc.identifier.urihttps://repositorio.uc.cl/handle/11534/85497
dc.identifier.wosidWOS:000627895900145
dc.information.autorucEscuela de Ingeniería; Figueroa Gonzalez Ronny Javier; S/I; 214449
dc.information.autorucEscuela de Ingeniería; Yanez Carrizo Gonzalo Alejandro; 0000-0003-0183-9775; 1008795
dc.information.autorucEscuela de Ingeniería; Arancibia Hernandez Gloria Cecilia; 0000-0003-2860-1302; 1008583
dc.information.autorucEscuela de Ingeniería; Sanhueza Soto Jorge Luis; 0000-0002-2628-4449; 222865
dc.language.isoen
dc.nota.accesoContenido parcial
dc.pagina.final21
dc.pagina.inicio1
dc.revistaScience of the Total Environment
dc.rightsacceso restringido
dc.subjectMountain-block recharge
dc.subjectAnthropogenic recharge
dc.subjectFault zone hydrogeology
dc.subjectHydrogeophysics
dc.subjectAconcagua Basin
dc.subject.ddc550
dc.subject.deweyCiencias de la tierraes_ES
dc.titleDeciphering groundwater flow-paths in fault-controlled semiarid mountain front zones (Central Chile)
dc.typeartículo
dc.volumen771
sipa.codpersvinculados214449
sipa.codpersvinculados1008795
sipa.codpersvinculados1008583
sipa.codpersvinculados222865
sipa.trazabilidadConveris;20-07-2021
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