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Relationship between hydrogeological parameters for data-scarce regions: the case of the Araripe sedimentary basin, Brazil

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Abstract

This paper applies and validates a method for generating spatially distributed hydraulic conductivity (k) based on the specific capacity (Q s) for data-scarce regions. This method has been applied to the Araripe sedimentary basin, Brazil, and consists of four steps: (1) selection of (32) wells for which both k and Q s data are available; (2) estimation of k as a function of Q s for the (128) wells for which only specific capacity data are available; (3) spatial distribution of k using the kriging geostatistical tool; (4) validation of the method, using (17) representative wells with k measured data. The equation relating k and Q s showed a statistically significant linear relationship (R = 0.93), from which a database has been generated using kriging with the spherical model. The results showed a calibration coefficient of Nash and Sutcliffe (NS) of 0.54 and moderate spatial dependence ratio of 69 %. The validation process provided only a moderate efficiency (NS = 0.22), possibly due to the geological complexity of the focus system. Despite its limitations, the method indicates the possibility of application of ordinary kriging to generate reliable data from auxiliary variables, especially for the water management of data-scarce areas.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge Capes—Brazilian Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel—for the scholarship granted to the first author; CNPq—Brazilian National Council of Scientific and Technologic Development—for the financial support of the research (process 483270/2010-5); and COGERH—Water Resources Management Company of Ceará—in Crato, for providing important data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural Engineering, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, Bloco 804, 12.168, Fortaleza, Ceará, CEP 60450-760, Brazil

    Sávio de Brito Fontenele & José Carlos de Araújo

  2. Civil Engineering, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus Cariri. Av. Tenente Raimundo Rocha S/N, Cidade Universitária, Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará, Brazil

    Luiz Alberto Ribeiro Mendonça

  3. Department of Physics, Universidade Federal do Ceará Campus do Pici, Bloco 922, CP 6030, Fortaleza, Ceará, 60455-900, Brazil

    Maria Marlúcia Freitas Santiago

  4. Water Resources Management Company (COGERH) of Ceará, Section Crato Rua André Cartaxo 454, Crato, Ceará, 63100-170, Brazil

    José Yarley de Brito Gonçalves

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  1. Sávio de Brito Fontenele
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  2. Luiz Alberto Ribeiro Mendonça
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  3. José Carlos de Araújo
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  4. Maria Marlúcia Freitas Santiago
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  5. José Yarley de Brito Gonçalves
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Correspondence to Sávio de Brito Fontenele.

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de Brito Fontenele, S., Mendonça, L.A.R., de Araújo, J.C. et al. Relationship between hydrogeological parameters for data-scarce regions: the case of the Araripe sedimentary basin, Brazil. Environ Earth Sci 71, 885–894 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2491-z

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