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Saline wetlands related to groundwater flows from low permeability Tertiary formations in the Somontano area of Huesca, Spain
Author(s) -
Sánchez Navarro J. A.,
Coloma López P.,
Pérez García A.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
hydrological processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.222
H-Index - 161
eISSN - 1099-1085
pISSN - 0885-6087
DOI - 10.1002/hyp.180
Subject(s) - groundwater , wetland , geology , hydrology (agriculture) , irrigation , permeability (electromagnetism) , groundwater flow , soil water , subsurface flow , surface water , environmental science , soil science , aquifer , geotechnical engineering , environmental engineering , ecology , chemistry , biochemistry , membrane , biology
Presence of groundwater flow in the ‘Somontano de Huesca’ Area, derived from low‐permeability detrital Tertiary rocks, is considered. A groundwater flow model is constructed for these Tertiary rocks. This model explains both water flow through them and the chemical characteristics of the water. Groundwater flow has clear surface manifestations: it causes wetlands (which are called ‘paules’ in the area) with sodic waters, it produces saline, sodic or alkaline soils, and it produces modifies the chemical composition of rivers in Somontano. Irrigation has increased the volume of filtered water, especially in the interfluve areas, causing the extension of the wetlands in the valley thalwegs, and also the greater movement of salts has increased the problems of saline and/or sodic soils in the area. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.