The lithostratigraphy of the Guarani Aquifer System and its relationship with well productivity and longevity of exploitation in the city of Bauru (SP)

• Grant number: 22/16409-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2023
• End date: December 29, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo César Aoki Hirata
• Grantee: Julia Belandrino Rusig
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IGC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/15434-0 - SACRE: integrated water solutions for resilient cities, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/07237-8 - The Guarani aquifer system's capability to supply the city of Bauru (SP), BE.EP.IC

Abstract

The Guarani Aquifer System (GAS), formed by the Botucatu and Piramboia Formations, is the primary source of water supply in the city of Bauru (SP). As it is a non-renewable and finite (fossil) resource, its exploitation requires knowledge of the total volumes stored to estimate its longevity in the face of pumping regimes. Bauru has 54 wells in the SAG, which exploit 460Mm3/a, and which has experienced a lowering in potentiometric levels of 1m/a. This project will elaborate a conceptual model of the GAS in the urban area of Bauru, modeled three-dimensionally using Leapfrog Works®, and identify the geological conditions that control the its productivity and exploitable storage associated with the confined system (S), such as drainable (Sy). This characterization will be based on the interpretation of geophysical soundings, drilling cores, and pumping tests of water wells. It is expected that such a conceptual model will form the basis for actions for the planned use of SAG fossil waters, a subject that is still very little studied in the Brazil. The results of this project will serve a wide range of activities related to the FAPESP Thematic Project (Proc.2020/15434-0 SACRE|Integrated Water Solutions for Resilient Cities).