Relevamiento geofísico para la provisión de agua subterránea a Santa Rita de Catuna, provincia de la Rioja, Argentina

Abstract

The population of Santa Rita de Catuna city is of 1695 inhabitants; possibilities for developing in any aspect from the economic to the social, including the demograhic, is limited by the availability of potable water. Under this scenario, it is imperative to know if there are possibilities to achieve water resources to a greater extent than currently exists. For its accomplishment, 30 exploratory geophysical polls (SEV) with Abem AC Terrameter equipment were carried out, one electrical tomography for the analysis of the immediate subsoil in the local University Facility, and several pseudosections; with the field data in the determined profiles validated with perforations, were carried out as well. The sites are in the city area, and in a line on the old road that leads to Milagro city, passing through the Colonia Ortiz de Ocampo city. The opening of the current electrodes was gradually increased (Schlumberger methodology) until finding increasing resistivity that denoted the presence of the rock structure (electric basement). Two profiles were made in the West East direction, the first one with the largest amount of SEV and the other, located to the South of the first, with three SEV surveys. The SEV sites were cho-sen where access was possible. Also, the contact of the mountain ranges with the plain was determined by the resistivity change. The results indicate the areas where the depth of the water collection stratum is greater and its exploitation is possible. Moreover, in those areas, the contamination by the waste water is lower.