A new method of combined techniques for characterization and monitoring of seawater interface in an alluvial aquifer

Understand the dynamics of the fresh-salt water interface in aquifers is a key issue to comprehend mixing processand to quantity the discharge of nutrients in to coastal areas. In order to go beyond the current knowledge inthis issue an experimental site has been set up at the alluvial aquifer Riera Argentona (Barcelona – Spain). Thesite comprises 16 shallow piezometers installed between 30 and 90 m from the seashore, with depths rangingbetween 15 and 25 meters. The seawater interface is being monitored using several techniques, the combinationof which will help us to understand the spatial and temporal behaviour of the mixing zone and the geochemicalprocesses occurring there. Specially the deepest piezometers are equipped with electrodes in order to performcross-hole electrical resistivity tomography (CHERT). In addition, all piezometers are also equipped with FiberOptic cable to perform distributed temperature measurements. Two single steel armoured fibre optic cable lines ofaround 600m length were installed in all boreholes. The objective is to use the cable both as passive and activetemperature sensor. The first is being done for the continuous monitoring of temperature whereas; the secondprovides a higher temperature resolution used to monitor field experiments.Periodic CHERT measurements are carried out between the piezometer equipped with electrodes, resultingin parallel and perpendicular vertical cross sections of the site resistivity. The position of the fresh-salt waterinterface can be identified due to the resistivity contrast between the saline and fresh water. Preliminary resultsof periodic distributed temperature measurements will be also be used to monitor the position of the mixing zonethanks to the contrast and seasonal temperature changes. Periodic down-hole EC profiles will be used to validatethe method.AcknowledgementsThis work was funded by the projects CGL2013-48869-C2-1 y CGL2013-48869-C2-2-R of the Spanish Government.We would like to thank SIMMAR (Serveis Integrals de Manteniment del Maresme) and the ConsellComarcal del Maresme in the construction of the research site