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A multi-parameter study of groundwater–seawater interactions along Partido de La Costa, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

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Abstract

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is a complex hydrological process which occurs at the continent–ocean interface and plays an important role in coastal dynamics. The main objective of this study was to detect groundwater discharge from the sandy freshwater aquifer towards the Atlantic Ocean along the western coast of Buenos Aires Province (Argentina) using multiple methods. 222Rn as a tracer, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), and hydrogeological information were applied to detect and quantify SGD. 222Rn activity was measured in wells, at the beach (tidal pools and surf zone) and along a transect ~ 200 m from the coastline coincident with geoelectrical measurements. Groundwater depth was measured in wells, and from these data, groundwater contour maps were made. 222Rn activity in wells varies from 16 and 173 dpm/L; at the beach, the values are between 28 and 48 dpm/L; and along the coastline, they oscillate between 1.3 and 20.5 dpm/L. The ERT shows a high resistivity layer close to 3–4 m depth from the sea floor indicating the presence of freshwater. Groundwater contour maps show discharge toward the continental plain to the west and toward the sea to the east. There is no precedent related to the application of these methodologies in the study area which results of interest for the knowledge of the coastal hydrodynamics.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Cooperativa de Provisión de Obras y Servicios Públicos de San Clemente del Tuyú Ltda. for their collaboration. This work was supported by the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas of Argentina, grant number PIP 0403, 2013–2015, and the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica, grant number PICT 2013-2117, 2014–2017.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CONICET, CEIDE, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), 64 nº 3, 1900, La Plata, Argentina

    Silvina Carretero, Leandro Rodrigues Capítulo, Lucía Gómez & Eduardo Kruse

  2. Sacred Hear University in Dingle, Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium, The Wood, Farrannakilla, Dingle, Co. Kerry, Ireland

    John Rapaglia

  3. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas, Paseo del Bosque s/n, La Plata, Argentina

    Santiago Perdomo & Carlos Albino Martínez

Authors
  1. Silvina Carretero
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  2. John Rapaglia
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  3. Santiago Perdomo
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  4. Carlos Albino Martínez
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  5. Leandro Rodrigues Capítulo
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  6. Lucía Gómez
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  7. Eduardo Kruse
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Correspondence to Silvina Carretero.

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Carretero, S., Rapaglia, J., Perdomo, S. et al. A multi-parameter study of groundwater–seawater interactions along Partido de La Costa, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Environ Earth Sci 78, 513 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-019-8532-5

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