Groundwater Development in Lemoa, Guatemala
Abstract
In the rural Guatemalan Central Highlands, drinking water wells are a rare commodity due to lack of data regarding depth and sustainability of groundwater. At a study well in Lemoa, aquifer sustainability and other characteristics were estimated using hydrograph data and Theisrsquos recovery method for pumping tests. These tests showed that while specific capacity remained fairly constant, transmissivity increased, indicating development of the well subsequent to installation of the study well. The time domain electromagnetic (TDEM) method was evaluated at the site as a prospective groundwater prospecting technique. Characterization of subsurface conditions using TDEM is feasible with local subsurface data for correlation; however, it is limited to delineating low electrical resistive zones without geologic data for correlation. Data showed that groundwater produced from volcanic alluvium at approximately 79 m in depth is sustainable at the study area at current use rates.
Recommended Citation
E. Lepper and A. C. Elmore, "Groundwater Development in Lemoa, Guatemala," Environmental Geology, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 49 - 56, Springer, Jun 2005.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-1255-9
Department(s)
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering
Keywords and Phrases
Geophysics; Groundwater; Guatemala; Aquifers; Data reduction; Electric resistance; Electromagnetism; Potable water; Water wells; Groundwater prospecting techniques; Guatemalan Central highlands; Theis's recovery; Time domain electromagnetic (TDEM) methods; drinking water
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
0943-0105
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2005 Springer, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Jun 2005
