Abstract

CAN-CHULIM, Álvaro et al. Origin and Quality of the Groundwater in the Oriental Basin of Mexico. Terra Latinoam [online]. 2011, vol.29, n.2, pp.189-200. ISSN 2395-8030.

Groundwater is important in the economic context of the Puebla state, where is located the largest portion of the study area, since it determines the feasibility to increase their economic development. The 80% of groundwater is used in agriculture. The largest proportion of available water in the state is in the Oriental Basin. The extraction in the basin has increased in recent years to incorporate new irrigated areas. Agriculture in the basin is conditioned by the characteristics and physical properties of soil and water quality. In high permeability soils, course texture, the sprinkler is used and in soils with high impermeability, fine texture, flood irrigation is reccomended using beds and furrows. When using these irrigation methods, the chemical and agronomical quality of waters becomes an important factor because it may affect soil and crop. Residual sodium carbonate, saturation index and corrected sodium adsorption ratio were used as indexes. These are best for evaluation of bicarbonate-type waters. The mean pH was 8.7. The average concentration of 492.75 mg L-1 and the bicarbonate sodium character of the groundwater basin are defined by volcanic materials. The ion concentration in waters of deep wells is low, with an average of 244.37 mg L-1, an average of 1.80 mmolc Na+L-1 and 2.16 mmolc HCO3 - L-1. The waters of the upper level (water tables) are high in ion concentration, with an average of 865.31 mg L-1, an average of 7.15 mmolc Na+L-1 and 6.92 mmolc HCO3 - L-1.

Keywords : sodium bicarbonate; aquifer; hydrogeochemistry; RAS°.