Evaluation of sites for drilling tubular wells in the Serra Geral Aquifer System in the state of Rio Grande do Sul through the analysis of conditioning factors and use of remote sensing techniques

Abstract

The prospecting of groundwater in regions where fractured aquifers occur is a complex task, and for this activity different parameters that condition the occurrence of these aquifers must be analyzed. This work aims to present a study about more favorable locations for the drilling of wells in the Serra Geral Aquifer System (SGAS) in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. In the area of ​​occurrence of the SGAS, four fundamental factors control the groundwater potential. This way, the SGAS was divided into six aquifer areas, having climate, soil, geomorphology and lithology characteristics being evaluated in each one. The definition of more favorable areas was made based on the interpretation of remote sensing images (numerical terrain model) and topographic maps and on the evaluation of the characteristics of each area. The results indicated that the aquifer area of ​​the Planalto Médio is the one with the greatest potential in terms of water, followed by the areas of the Planalto dos Campos Gerais, Planalto de Soledade, Alto Uruguai, Serra Geral and Planalto de Uruguaiana. The location of tubular wells must be carried out based on the evaluation of the lineaments (length, orientation, degree of dissection and intersections), being that more favorable water occurring are associated with the intersection of lineaments, as well as the occurrence of larger and northwest oriented lineaments.