Geostatistic simulation and stochastic modeling of groundwater flow in Guarani Aquifer System in a recharge area of the southwest region of Rio Grande do Sul

• Grant number: 14/00844-7
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: May 01, 2014 - April 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal researcher: Alexandra Vieira Suhogusoff
• Grantee: Alexandra Vieira Suhogusoff
• Home Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IGC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Assoc. researchers: Ari Roisenberg ; Ricardo César Aoki Hirata

Abstract

The Guarani Aquifer System (GAS) is a large transboundary groundwater reservoir, located in the central-eastern region of South America. GAS is shared among Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, and comprises an area of 1,200,000 km2, from which approximately 70% is in Brazilian territory. In the southwest region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, GAS corresponds to a recharge zone, an area remarkably important from the hydrogeological perspective. This research project proposes the application of geostatistic simulations and stochastic numeric modeling of groundwater flow for the area described above aiming to provide a management model based on decision criteria, which will assist the water resources development. The geostatistic data processing for hydraulic conductivity, recharge and evapotranspiration will provide information about their spatial distribution and the computation of their uncertainties. The evaluation of the geostatistic features, such as average, minimum, maximum and variogram, will support the stochastic modeling in determining the hydraulic heads and their uncertainties, which in turn will allow establishing optimum conditions of groundwater exploitation (maximum levels) with the simulation of new supply wells. (AU)