Caracterización del movimiento del flujo subterráneo en la cuenca alta del río Cutuchi, provincia de Cotopaxi: PIM-20-03: “Recursos hídricos subterráneos en la zona de Mulaló: Estudio hidrodinámico e hidrogeoquímico, identificación de zonas potencialmente críticas de contaminación y remoción de metales pesados utilizando materiales nanoestructurados y compuestos”

Abstract

This study presents a hydrogeological description of the groundwater flow in the upper watershed of the Cutuchi River (Cotopaxi province). The analysis was based on an inventory of water points (wells and springs) and the sampling of rock and sediments. The hydraulic loads, hydraulic gradients, transmissivity, groundwater flow velocity and granulometry were determined to characterize the main hydrogeological units and types of aquifers in the study area. A total of 11 springs and 18 wells were recorded. Measurements of the static water level were made in the wells. In addition, a total of 6 sediment samples were taken from the deposits of the Cotopaxi volcano, the Iliniza Sur volcano and the Chalupas Formation to analyze their granulometric distribution. The analysis of results determined the existence of different aquifer levels. The deepest static water levels are in a range of 14 to 25 m deep (piezometric level 1), while the shallowest wells present a static water level of up to 6 m representing the water table. The correlation between the location of the wells and the geology indicates that the greatest number of wells are distributed over the outcrops of the Chalupas Formation. These deposits were classified as poorly graded sand and silty-clayey sand. The intercalation of these materials would result in the occurrence of different aquifer levels.