Hydrogeological and Hydrochemical Investigations in the Rioverde Basin, Mexico
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Freiberg On-line Geoscience Vol. 3 Hydrogeological and hydrochemical investigations in the Rioverde basin, Mexico Britta Planer-Friedrich study area Institute of Geology, university of mining and technology Freiberg LIST OF CONTENTS LIST OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1. Preamble 1 1.2. Objectives 2 1.3. Deliverables 3 1.4. Abstract 4 1.5. Acknowledgement 7 2. BACKGROUND 9 2.1. Introduction to the study area 9 2.1.1. Physiography 9 2.1.2. Climate 10 2.1.3. Hydrology 13 2.1.4. Agriculture 13 2.1.5. Vegetation 14 2.1.6. Infrastructure 14 2.2. Geology 14 2.2.1. Geological Overview 14 2.2.2. Geological development 16 2.2.2.1. Palaeozoic age 16 2.2.2.2. Mesozoic age 17 2.2.2.2.1. Triassic 17 2.2.2.2.2. Jurassic 17 2.2.2.2.3. Cretaceous 18 2.2.2.3. Neozoic age 19 2.2.2.3.1. Tertiary 19 2.2.2.3.2. Quarternary 22 2.3. Hydrogeology 24 2.3.1. Surface water 24 2.3.2. Groundwater 26 2.3.3. Human use and effects on surface and groundwater 27 2.3.3.1. Surface water 27 2.3.3.2. Groundwater 32 2.4. Hydrochemistry 33 2.4.1. Reports on the basin´s hydrochemistry 33 2.4.2. Pesticides 34 2.4.3. Arsenic 36 2.4.3.1. Arsenic Chemistry 36 2.4.3.1.1. General chemistry 36 2.4.3.1.2. Sorption and Mobility 39 2.4.3.2. Origin of increased arsenic concentrations 41 2.4.3.3. Toxicology 44 Hydrogeological and hydrochemical investigations in the Rioverde basin, Mexico B.Planer-Friedrich 2.4.3.4. Restrictions and limitations 46 2.4.3.5. Arsenic removal 46 2.4.3.6. Arsenic in Mexico 47 3. PROCEDURES AND METHODS 49 3.1. Geology 49 3.1.1. Outcrops and rock examinations 49 3.1.1.1. Simulated silicate weathering - extraction 49 3.1.1.2. Thermoluminiscence 50 3.1.2. Drillings and Geophysical Sections 50 3.1.2.1. Geophysics 50 3.1.2.1.1. Alvarado (1973) 50 3.1.2.1.2. Secretaria de Agricultura (1980) 51 3.1.2.1.3. Cham (1998) 51 3.1.2.2. Drillings 51 3.1.2.2.1. Secretaria de Agricultura (1984) 51 3.1.2.2.2. Presidencia Municipal (1998) 52 3.1.2.2.3. Sainacio (1999) 52 3.1.3. Tectonics 52 3.1.4. Presentation of the geology 53 3.2. Hydrogeology 54 3.2.1. Natural hydrological cycle 54 3.2.1.1. Groundwater recharge 54 3.2.1.2. Hydrogeological settings 55 3.2.2. Man made changes in the hydrogeological settings 56 3.3. Hydrochemistry 56 3.3.1. Description of the sampling locations 56 3.3.2. Sampling 57 3.3.2.1. Selected and problematic chemical determinations 58 3.3.2.1.1. Nitrate 58 3.3.2.1.2. Ammonium 59 3.3.2.1.3. Iron 59 3.3.2.1.4. ICP-MS elements 60 3.3.2.1.5. Pesticides 61 3.3.2.2. Arsenic determination method - theoretical background 63 3.3.3. Interpretation of the chemical analysis 66 3.3.3.1. Statistics & characterization 66 3.3.3.2. Simulation of origin of water type 70 3.3.3.2.1. Inverse modeling with PhreeqC 70 3.3.3.2.2. Stabile isotopes 71 3.3.3.2.3. SiO2-geothermometer 72 4. INTERPRETATION - GEOLOGY 73 4.1. Geological outcrops 73 4.1.1. Cretaceous 73 4.1.2. Tertiary 75 4.1.2.1. Volcanic rocks 75 4.1.2.2. Sediments 78 LIST OF CONTENTS 4.1.3. Quarternary 80 4.1.3.1. Lacustrine sediments 80 4.1.3.2. Fluvial sediments 82 4.1.3.3. Volcanic rocks 84 4.1.3.4. Caliche and Travertine 87 4.1.3.5. Soil 91 4.2. Drillings and geophysical sections 92 4.2.1. Southeast: Las Magdalenas - well No.141- El Huizachal 92 4.2.2. Southwest: La Loma - El Jabali 94 4.2.3. West: well No.13 - La Tapona - El Tecomate - Ojo de Agua de Solana 95 4.2.4. Central: well No.20 - well No.142 96 4.2.5. Centralnorth: P 1 (Loma Las Auras - Puerto de Colmenas) - well No.143 97 4.2.6. North: P2 (Puerta del Rio - La Gavia) - P3 (Angostura - La Muralla) - La Muralla 97 4.3. Tectonical structures 98 4.4. Geological Model 99 5. INTERPRETATION - HYDROGEOLOGY 105 5.1. Hydrology 105 5.1.1. Natural hydrological cycle 105 5.1.1.1. Groundwater recharge 105 5.1.1.2. Hydrogeological settings 106 5.1.2. Man made changes in the hydrogeological settings 109 5.1.2.1. Surface water 109 5.1.2.2. Groundwater 111 5.2. Hydrogeochemistry 113 5.2.1. Hydrogeochemical results for the different cluster groups 113 5.2.1.1. Group (1) - El Refugio wells 115 5.2.1.1.1. Characterization --- Ca-HCO3 groundwater with low total mineralization 115 5.2.1.1.2. Restrictions and limitations for water use 117 5.2.1.2. Group (2) - El Refugio wells 120 5.2.1.2.1. Characterization --- Ca-SO4 groundwater with medium total mineralization 120 5.2.1.2.2. Restrictions and limitations for water use 121 5.2.1.3. Group (3) - karst springs 122 5.2.1.3.1. Characterization --- Ca-SO4 springs with high temperature and total mineralization 122 5.2.1.3.2. Restrictions and limitations for water use 123 5.2.1.4. Group (4) - Pastora wells 124 5.2.1.4.1. Characterization--- Ca-Mg-SO4 groundwater with very high total mineralization124 5.2.1.4.2. Restrictions and limitations for water use 125 5.2.2. Simulation of the origin of the 4 different water types 126 5.2.2.1. Stabile isotopes 126 5.2.2.2. SiO2-Geothermometer 127 5.2.2.3. Hydrogeochemical model 129 5.2.2.4. Inverse modeling with PhreeqC 131 5.2.3. Arsenic field method 132 5.2.3.1. Arsenic field results 132 5.2.3.2. Suggestions for improvement of the method 133 5.2.3.2.1. Field application 133 Hydrogeological and hydrochemical investigations in the Rioverde basin, Mexico B.Planer-Friedrich 5.2.3.2.2. Calculation and calibration 134 5.2.3.3. Comparison of the results from the field method and HGAAS 136 5.2.3.4. Speciation 137 5.2.3.5. Evaluation of the method 139 6. RECOMMENDATIONS 141 7. LITERATURE 145 LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF FIGURES Fig. 1 Mexico´s political division - red square shows the Rioverde basin in the state San Luis Potosi (http:// www.inegi.gob.mx 1999) 9 Fig. 2 Mexico´s division in natural regions - black square shows the Rioverde basin between the Sierras Bajas and Sierras Altas of the Sierra Madre Oriental (modified from RAISZ 1959) 10 Fig. 3 Mexico´s climatic regions - red square shows the Rioverde basin in the aride dry zone (http:// www.inegi.gob.mx 1999) 11 Fig. 4 Climate courses of 5 different meteorological stations in the Rioverde basin (red line = average monthly temperature with maximum and minimum day temperatures indicated as deviations, units on right y-axis, blue columns = precipitation, units on left y-axis) 12 Fig. 5 Dry river bed of the river Morales (near P16 / P17) in July 1999 13 Fig. 6 Agriculture in the Rioverde basin - above: most important crops: oranges, mais and chili; right: traditional ploughing with oxes 13 Fig. 7 Typical landscape near Pastora 14 Fig. 8 Geological map reduced in scale from the Carta Geologica 1:250,000 (CETENAL 1983) 15 Fig. 9 Legends for the geological map 1 : 250,000 (CETENAL 1983) 16 Fig. 10 Development of the platform Valles - San Luis Potosi during Cretaceous (CARRILLO 1971) 17 Fig. 11 Change of the composition of hydrothermal minerals with time (TUTA et al. 1988) 20 Fig. 12 Location of the most important fluoride mines in San Luis Potosi and Guanajuato (left) (RUIZ et al. 1989) 20 Fig. 13 Hydrographs for the river "rio verde" from 3 different river flow gauges 25 Fig. 14 Open irrigation on tomatoe plants NNW of Rioverde 27 Fig. 15 Fluctuations in the karst spring Media Luna - seasonal (units on lower x-axis) and longtime hydrograph (units on upper x-axis) 28 Fig. 16 Irrigation channel from the Media Luna to the east 28 Fig. 17 Main irrigation channel from the Media Luna to the north (left: new one, right: old one) 29 Fig. 18 Remnants of the pipes and the storage basin for a planed irrigation project at the Media Luna 29 Fig. 19 Abandoned pumping station and irrigation channel at Acequia Salada 30 Fig. 20 Former lagoon, today cultivated land - El Jabali 30 Fig. 21 Artificial lake - dam San Diego 30 Fig. 22 A wetland area still existing - Tlacomates 31 Fig. 23 Pesticides application on mais plants 34 Fig. 24 pH dependent dissociation diagram for H3AsO4 and H3AsO3 (RÜDE 1996) 37 Fig. 25 pH dependent dissociation diagram for MMAA and DMAA (RÜDE 1996) 37 Fig. 26 Arsenic in aquatic ecosystems [combination of a metabolic cycle (LANDNER 1989) and a scheme of other natural occuring compounds with their reactions paths (WELCH et al. 1988)] 38 Fig. 27 Speciation diagram for As(III) and As(V) (DEUTSCH 1997) 39 Fig. 28 Column elution tests showing the pH dependent sorption strength of As(III) and As(V) (MERKEL & SPERLING 1999) 39 Fig.