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High-yielding aquifers in crystalline basement: insights about the role of fault zones, exemplified by Armorican Massif, France

Aquifères à haut rendement en contexte de socle cristallin: aperçu du rôle des zones de failles, illustré par le massif armoricain, France

Acuíferos de alto rendimiento en el basamento cristalino: conocimientos acerca del papel de las zonas de falla, ejemplificado por el Armorican Massif, Francia

高出水量的结晶岩基岩含水层:有关断层带作用的思考,法国阿摩力运动地块研究实例

Aquiferos altamente produtivos no embasamento cristalino: novas percepções sobre o papel de zonas de falha, exemplificado pelo Maciço Armoricano, França

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Abstract

While groundwater constitutes a crucial resource in many crystalline-rock regions worldwide, well-yield conditions are highly variable and barely understood. Nevertheless, it is well known that fault zones may have the capacity to ensure sustainable yield in crystalline media, but there are only a few and disparate examples in the literature that describe high-yield conditions related to fault zones in crystalline rock basements. By investigating structural and hydraulic properties of remarkable yielding sites identified in the Armorican Massif, western France, this study discusses the main factors that may explain such exceptional hydrogeological properties. Twenty-three sites, identified through analysis of databases available for the region, are investigated. Results show that: (1) the highly transmissive fractures are related to fault zones which ensure the main water inflow in the pumped wells; (2) the probability of intersecting such transmissive fault zones does not vary significantly with depth, at least within the range investigated in this study (0–200 m); and (3) high yield is mainly controlled by the structural features of the fault zones, in particular the fault dip and the presence of a connected storage reservoir. Conceptual models that summarize the hydrological properties of high-yield groundwater resources related to fault zones in crystalline basement are shown and discussed.

Résumé

Alors que les eaux souterraines constituent une ressource cruciale dans de nombreuses régions de socle dans le monde, les conditions de rendement sont très variables et à peine comprises. Néanmoins, il est bien connu que les zones de failles peuvent avoir la capacité d’assurer un rendement durable dans les milieux cristallins, mais il n’y a que quelques exemples disparates dans la littérature qui décrivent les conditions à haut rendement liées aux zones de failles dans les roches cristallines de socle. En étudiant les propriétés structurelles et hydrauliques de sites remarquables du point de vue du rendement, identifiés dans le Massif armoricain, Ouest de la France, cette étude examine les principaux facteurs qui peuvent expliquer de telles propriétés hydrogéologiques exceptionnelles. Vingt-trois sites, identifiés par l’analyse des bases de données disponibles pour la région, sont étudiés. Les résultats montrent que: (1) les fractures très transmissives sont associées aux principales zones de failles qui assurent les venues d’eau principales dans les puits pompés; (2) la probabilité de recouper de telles zones de failles transmissives ne varie pas significativement avec la profondeur, au moins dans la gamme étudiée dans cette étude (0–200 m); et (3) un rendement élevé est principalement contrôlé par les caractéristiques structurelles des zones de failles, notamment le pendage des failles et la présence d’un réservoir de stockage connecté. Les modèles conceptuels qui résument les propriétés hydrologiques des ressources en eaux souterraines à haut rendement liées aux zones de failles dans le socle cristallin sont présentés et discutés.

Resumen

Mientras que el agua subterránea constituye un recurso fundamental en muchas regiones de rocas cristalinas en todo el mundo, las condiciones de los rendimientos de los pozos son muy variables y apenas comprendidas. Sin embargo, es bien sabido que las zonas de fallas pueden tener la capacidad para garantizar un rendimiento sostenible en medios cristalinos, pero sólo hay unos pocos y dispares ejemplos en la literatura que describen las condiciones de alto rendimiento relacionados con zonas de fallas en rocas del basamento cristalino. A partir de la investigación de las propiedades estructurales e hidráulicas de sitios con rendimientos extraordinarios identificados en el Armorican Massif, en el oeste de Francia, este estudio analiza los principales factores que pueden explicar estas propiedades hidrogeológicas excepcionales. Se investigaron veintitrés sitios, identificados a través del análisis de bases de datos disponibles para la región. Los resultados muestran que: (1) las fracturas altamente transmisoras están relacionados con las principales zonas de fallas que aseguran el ingreso principal de agua a los pozos de bombeo; (2) la probabilidad de intersección de dichas zonas de fallas transmisivas no varía significativamente con la profundidad, por lo menos dentro del intervalo investigado en este estudio (0–200 m); y (3) el alto rendimiento es controlado principalmente por las características estructurales de las zonas de falla, en particular, el buzamiento de la falla y la presencia de un reservorio de almacenamiento conectado. Se muestran y discuten los modelos conceptuales que resumen las propiedades hidrológicas de los recursos de agua subterránea de alto rendimiento relacionados con las zonas de fallas en el basamento cristalino.

摘要

地下水在世界范围内许多结晶岩地区构成了至关重要的资源,然而,井出水量条件变化非常大,对此人们知之甚少。众所周知,断层带可能有能力保证结晶介质中可持续的出水量,但文献中只有几个不同的描述与结晶岩基岩断层带相关的高出水量条件。通过调查法国西部阿摩力运动地块显著产水区结构和水力特性,本研究论述了可能解释此种特殊水文地质特性的主要因素。通过本地区现有的数据库分析确认了二十三个地点,对这些点进行了调查。结果显示,(1)输水性高的断裂与主要断层带相关,这能确保大量的水涌入抽水井;(2)贯穿这样的输水断层带可能性随深度变化不大,至少在本研究调查的范围内如此(0–200 米);(3)高产水量主要受断层带的结构特点控制,特别是受断层下倾及是否存在连接的蓄水库的控制。展示和论述了概述结晶岩基岩断层带高出水量地下水源的水文特性概念模型。

Resumo

Enquanto que a água subterrânea é um recurso crucial em muitas regiões de rochas cristalinas a nível mundial, as condições de produtividade das captações são altamente variáveis e pouco compreendidas. De qualquer forma, é bem conhecido que zonas de falha têm a capacidade para garantir a exploração sustentável em meios cristalinos, mas existem poucos e disparos exemplos na literatura que descrevem condições de alta produtividade em zonas de falha em embasamentos cristalinos. Investigando as propriedades estruturais e hidráulicas de casos com produtividades notáveis no Maciço Armoricano, no oeste da França, este estudo examina os principais fatores que poderão explicar as suas propriedades hidrogeológicas excepcionais. Vinte e três casos, identificados através da análise de bases de dados disponíveis para a região, são investigados. Resultados mostram que: (1) as fraturas altamente transmissíveis estão relacionadas com as maiores zonas de falha, que garantem o fluxo principal de água para as captações; (2) a probabilidade de intersectar estas zonas de falha transmissivas não varia significativamente com a profundidade, pelo menos na gama investigada pelo presente estudo (0–200 m); e (3) produtividade alta é controlada pelas características estruturais das zonas de falhas, em particular a inclinação e a existência de uma conexão com um reservatório. Modelos conceptuais que resumem as propriedades hidrológicas de recursos hídricos subterrâneos de produtividade alta são apresentados e discutidos.

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Acknowledgements

Some of the data are freely available from the French Water Agency (Agence de l’eau Loire Bretagne 2016) and the BRGM databases (French Geological Survey, BRGM 2016). Most funding came from the CASPAR project in collaboration with OSUR and BRGM and co-funded by the European Regional Development Funding (FEDER), the Regional Council of French Brittany, the French Water Agency of Loire-Brittany (AELB), the Department of Ile-et-Vilaine, and the French Ministry for Education and Research. We also wish to thank the European INTERREG IV project CLIMAWAT and the network of hydrogeological research sites H+ (SOERE H+) which provided some of the data. We are grateful to Yvon Georget, Gilles Lucas and Phillippe Bardy for sharing with us their knowledge regarding the sites. Diana Warwick is also warmly acknowledged for her detailed English editing. The authors greatly appreciate constructive remarks from the editor Jean-Michel Lemieux, the associate editor, and the two anonymous reviewers, which considerably improved the quality of the manuscript.

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Roques, C., Bour, O., Aquilina, L. et al. High-yielding aquifers in crystalline basement: insights about the role of fault zones, exemplified by Armorican Massif, France. Hydrogeol J 24, 2157–2170 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-016-1451-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-016-1451-6

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