Implementación con éxito de la ASR en acuíferos basálticos en el Noroeste de los Estados Unidos
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21701/bolgeomin.120.2.003Palabras clave:
almacenamiento y recuperación de acuíferos, almacenamiento de agua, ASR, CRBG, formación basáltica del río Columbia, nitrato, válvula de control en el fondo del sondeoResumen
A pesar de la reputación de húmeda de la zona Noroeste del Pacífico, muchas ciudades tanto al este como al oeste de la cordillera de las Cascadas, en Estados Unidos, están encontrando cada vez más dificultades para satisfacer las demandas puntuales de agua durante el verano. Los acuíferos situados al este de Oregon y Washington son la principal fuente de abastecimiento de una enorme industria agrícola, y han sufrido importantes descensos piezométricos, que han llevado al establecimiento de normas de explotación restrictivas. Por estas razones, tanto los municipios como la industria agrícola han optado por poner en marcha sistemas de almacenamiento y recuperación de acuíferos (ASR) como técnica de gestión unificada, para permitir satisfacer las demandas pico que se producen en verano. Característica exclusiva del Pacífico Noroeste es la presencia de grandes flujos basálticos de edad Mioceno que forman el Grupo Basáltico del Río Columbia (CRBG), el cual consiste en una potente y extensa capa de flujos de lava extraordinariamente grandes. Esta formación CRBG forma un extenso acuífero regional que se desarrolla entre el este del estado de Wahsington, y el este y el oeste del estado de Oregon. Los dos proyectos de ASR presentados en el presente artículo, en la ciudad de Beaverton y en las granjas de Madison, utilizan estos acuíferos par almacenar y recuperar el agua. Desde 1999, la ciudad de Beaverton, Oregon, con una población de 85.000 personas, ha instalado 3 pozos de ASR. Actualmente, se almacenan 1.700.000 m3 de agua potable tratada en los sondeos. Estos 3 pozos pueden proporcionar hasta 22,700 m3/día de capacidad máxima, lo que equivale al 35% de la demanda pico de la ciudad en verano. La óptima respuesta del acuífero desde el punto de vista hidrogeológico, así como un importante ahorro económico, han hecho del sistema de ASR de la ciudad de Beaverton un enorme éxito. Desde 2006, las granjas Madison, localizadas cerca de Echo, Oregón, y con una superficie de 71 km2 han estado utilizando el ASR para incrementar la capacidad de bombeo desde el acuífero CRBG. Sin embargo, mientras que la ciudad de Beaverton utiliza agua tratada del río para recargar el acuífero, las granjas Madison utilizan agua subterránea procedente de un acuífero aluvial muy poco profundo. El único elemento de preocupación para el sistema ASR de las granjas Madison es el nitrato, y por ello se hace una medida continua del mismo para evitar que el agua de recarga exceda de concentraciones mayores de 7 mg/l. Un medidor de nitrato está conectado a la válvula de control, instalada en el fondo del sondeo de inyección, de manera que la misma se interrumpe cuando el agua de recarga alcanza el umbral de los 7 mg/l. Los indicadores económicos de este sistema de ASR son también muy favorables si se les compara con la alternativa de traer agua para el riego a través de un sistema de tuberías desde el río Columbia desde una distancia de 22 km. Las lecciones más importantes aprendidas durante cada uno de los proyectos de ASR son las siguientes: el almacenamiento en basaltos ha tenido un éxito considerable; la mejora en el conocimiento de la hidrodinámica de los pozos y del acuífero CRBG, aunque es complicada debido a sus características geológicas únicas (interflujos tabulares, compartimentación); la colmatación por aire es un problema, pero se puede paliar mediante la instalación de válvulas de control en el fondo de los sondeos de inyección; el diseño del pozo de recarga es importante; el radón se disuelve rápidamente dentro del agua almacenada; la recarga natural de los acuíferos someros puede utilizarse para recarga acuíferos más profundos; tanto el agua superficial como el procedente de estos acuíferos superficiales han demostrado ser compatibles con el agua nativa del acuífero CRBG desde el punto de vista geoquímico; el control continuo de la recarga, junto con las válvulas de control en el fondo de los sondeos proporcionan muy buenos resultados; y el ASR ha demostrado ser una técnica de gestión de las demandas pico rentable.
Descargas
Citas
Anderson, J.L. 1987. The structure and ages of deformation of a portion of the southwest Columbia Plateau, Washington and Oregon: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Ph.D. dissertation, 272 p.
Bailey, M.M. 1989. Revisions to the stratigraphic nomenclature of the Picture Gorge Basalt Subgroup, Columbia River Basalt Group. In: Reidel, S.P., and Hooper, P.R., eds., Volcanism and tectonism in the Columbia River flood-basalt province: Geological Society of America Special Paper 239, p. 67-84. https://doi.org/10.1130/SPE239-p67
Beeson, M.H. and Tolan, T.L. 1990. The Columbia River Basalt Group in the Cascade Range, a middle Miocene reference datum for structural analysis. American Geophysical Union Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 95, no. B12, p. 19,547-19,559. https://doi.org/10.1029/JB095iB12p19547
Beeson, M.H. and Tolan, T.L. 1996. Field trip guide to Columbia River Basalt intracanyon flows in western Oregon and Washington - Ginkgo, Rosalia, and Pomona flows: Cordilleran Section Meeting of the Geological Society of America, Portland, Oregon, 35 p.
Beeson, M.H., Fecht, K.R, Reidel, S.P., and Tolan, T.L. 1985. Regional correlations within the Frenchman Springs Member of the Columbia River Basalt Group - new insights into middle Miocene tectonics of northwestern Oregon. Oregon Geology, v. 47, no. 8, p. 87-96.
Beeson, M.H., Tolan, T.L., and J.L. Anderson, J.L. 1989. The Columbia River Basalt Group in western Oregon, geologic structures and others factors that controlled emplacement patterns. In: Reidel. S.P., and Hooper, P.R., eds., Volcanism and Tectonism in the Columbia River Flood-Basalt Province: Geological Society of America Special Paper 239, p. 223-246. https://doi.org/10.1130/SPE239-p223
Beeson, M.H., Fecht, K.R., Reidel, S.P., and Tolan, T.L. 1985. Regional correlations within the Frenchman Springs Member of the Columbia River Basalt Group - new insights into middle Miocene tectonics of northwestern Oregon. Oregon Geology, v. 47, no. 8, p. 87-96.
Brown, J.C. 1978. Discussion of geology and ground-water hydrology of the Columbia Plateau with specific analysis of the Horse Heaven Hills, Sagebrush Flat, and Odessa-Lind areas, Washington: Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, College of Engineering Research Report 78/15-23, 51 p.
Brown, J.C. 1979. Investigation of stratigraphy and groundwater hydrology, Columbia River Basalt Group, Washington: Washington State University, College of Engineering Research Division Research Report 79/15-37, 60 p.
Burt, W.C. 1989. The hydrogeology of structurally complex basalts in Black Rock and Dry Creek Valleys, Washington: University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, M.S. thesis, 78 p.
Camp, V.E. 1981. Geologic studies of the Columbia Plateau; Part 2, Upper Miocene basalt distribution, reflecting source locations, tectonism, and drainage history in the Clearwater embayment, Idaho: Geological Society of America Bulletin, Part 1, v. 92, no. 9, p. 669-678. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1981)92<669:GSOTCP>2.0.CO;2
City of Beaverton. 2007. Memorandum: Future Water Supply - Source Options and Costs. Prepared by David Winship, City Utilities Engineer. January 4, 2007.
Davies-Smith, A., Bolke, E.L., and Collins, C.A. 1988. Geohydrology and digital simulation of the groundwater flow system in the Umatilla Plateau and Horse Heaven Hills area, Oregon and Washington: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 87-4268, 72 p.
Drost, B.W. and Whitman, K.J. 1986. Surficial geology, structure, and thickness of selected geohydrologic units in the Columbia Plateau, Washington: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 84-4326.
Gephart, R.E., Arnett, R.C., Baca, R.G., Leonhart, L.S., and Spane, F.A., Jr. 1979. Hydrologic studies within the Columbia Plateau,Washington: an integration of current knowledge. Richland, Washington, Rockwell Hanford Operations, RHO-BWI-ST-5.
Glanzman, Richard. 2006. Personal communication on November 10, 2006, with Larry Eaton of Groundwater Solutions, Inc.
Grolier, M.J. and Bingham, J.W. 1978. Geology of parts of Grant, Adams, and Franklin Counties, east-central Washington: Washington State Division of Geology and Earth Resources Bulletin 71, 91 p.
Groundwater Solutions, Inc. (GSI). 2002. City of Beaverton Year 2001 ASR Pilot Test Results: Prepared for the Oregon Water Resources Department. February 2002.
Groundwater Solutions, Inc. (GSI). 2003. City of Beaverton Year 2002 ASR Pilot Test Results: Prepared for the Oregon Water Resources Department. February 2003.
Groundwater Solutions, Inc. (GSI). 2004. City of Beaverton Year 2003 ASR Pilot Test Results: Prepared for the Oregon Water Resources Department. February 2004.
Groundwater Solutions, Inc. (GSI). 2005. City of Beaverton Year 2004 ASR Pilot Test Results: Prepared for the Oregon Water Resources Department. Prepared by Groundwater Solutions, Inc., February 2005.
Groundwater Solutions, Inc. (GSI). 2006. City of Beaverton Year 2005 ASR Pilot Test Results: Prepared for the Oregon Water Resources Department. February 2006.
Hansen, A.J., Jr., Vaccaro, J.J., and Bauer, H.H. 1994. Ground-water flow simulation of the Columbia Plateau regional aquifer system, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho: U.S. Geological Survey, Water-Resources Investigations Report 91-4187, 81 p.
Hogenson, G. 1964. Geology and ground water of the Umatilla River basin, Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1620, 162 p.
Johnson, V.G., Graham, D.L., and Reidel, S.P. 1993. Methane in Columbia River basalt aquifers, isotopic and geohydrologic evidence for a deep coal-bed gas source in the Columbia Basin,Washington. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 77, no. 7, p. 1192-1207. https://doi.org/10.1306/BDFF8E34-1718-11D7-8645000102C1865D
LaSala, A.M., Jr. and Doty, G.C. 1971. A preliminary evaluation of hydrologic factors related to radioactive waste storage in basaltic rocks at the Hanford Reservation, Washington: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr71180
Lindberg, J.W. 1989. A numerical study of cooling joint width and secondary mineral infilling in four Grande Ronde Basalt flows of the central Columbia Plateau, Washington. In: Reidel, S.P., and Hooper, P.R., eds., Volcanism and tectonism in the Columbia River floodbasalt province: Geological Society of America Special Paper 239, p. 169-185. https://doi.org/10.1130/SPE239-p169
Lite, K.E., Jr. and Grondin, G.H. 1988. Hydrogeology of the basalt aquifers near Mosier, Oregon - a ground water resources assessment: Oregon Department of Water Resources Ground Water Report, no. 33, 119 p.
Livesay, D.M. 1986. The hydrogeology of the upper Wanapum Basalt, upper Cold Creek Valley, Washington, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, M.S. thesis, 159 p.
LJHB Partners, in press. AWWARF Case Study, City of Beaverton ASR Project, Beaverton, Oregon. Prepared for ARS Systems LLC Team and the AWWA Research Foundation.
Long, P.E., and Duncan, R.A. 1982. 40Ar/39Ar ages of Columbia River basalt from deep boreholes in southcentral Washington: Rockwell Hanford Operations, Richland, Washington, RHO-BW-SA-233P, 5 p.
Mackin, J.H. 1961. A stratigraphic section in the Yakima Basalt and Ellensburg Formation in southcentralWashington, Washington Division of Mines and Geology Reports of Investigations 19, 45 p.
McKee, E.H., Swanson, D.A., andWright, T.L. 1977. Duration and volume of Columbia River basalt volcanism, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 9, no. 4, p. 463-464.
Newcomb, R.C., 1961. Storage of ground water behind subsurface dams in the Columbia River basalt, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 238A, 15 p. https://doi.org/10.3133/pp383A
Newcomb, R.C. 1969. Effect of tectonic structure on the occurrence of ground water in the basalt of the Columbia River Group of The Dalles area, Oregon and Washington: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 383-C, 33 p. https://doi.org/10.3133/pp383C
Oberlander, P.L. and Miller, D.W. 1981. Hydrologic studies in the Umatilla structural basin - an integration of current knowledge: Oregon Department of Water Resources, unpublished preliminary report, 41 p.
Packard, F.A., Hansen, A.J., Jr., and Bauer, H.H. 1996. Hydrogeology and simulation of flow and the effects of development alternatives on the basalt aquifers of the Horse Heaven Hills, south-central Washington: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4068, 92 p.
Price, E.H. 1982. Structural geology, strain distribution, and tectonic evolution of Umtanum Ridge at Priest Rapids Dam, and a comparison with other selected localities within the Yakima fold belt structures, south-central, Washington: Rockwell Hanford Operations, Richland, Washington, RHO-BWI-SA-138, 197 p.
Reidel, S.P. 1998. Emplacement of Columbia River flood basalt. American Geophysical Union Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 103, no. B11, p. 27,393-27,410. https://doi.org/10.1029/97JB03671
Reidel, S.P. 2005. A lava flow without a source - the Cohassett flow and its compositional components, Sentinel Bluffs Member, Columbia River Basalt Group, The Journal of Geology, V. 113, p. 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1086/425966
Reidel, S.P. and Tolan, T.L. 1992. Eruption and emplacement of a flood basalt - an example from the large-volume Teepee Butte Member, Columbia River Basalt Group, Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 104, no. 12, p. 1650-1671. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1992)104<1650:EAEOFB>2.3.CO;2
Reidel, S.P., Fecht, K.R., and Cross, R.W. 1982. Constraints on tectonic models for the Columbia Plateau from the age and growth rates of Yakima folds: Proceedings, the 33rd Alaska Science Conference, Arctic Division, American Association for the Advancement of Science, v. 12, p. 131.
Reidel, S.P., Fecht, K.R., Hagood, M.C., and Tolan, T.L. 1989a. The geologic evolution of the central Columbia Plateau. In: Reidel, S.P., and Hooper, P.R., eds., Volcanism and tectonism in the Columbia River floodbasalt province: Geological Society of America Special Paper 239, p. 247-264. https://doi.org/10.1130/SPE239-p247
Reidel, S.P., Tolan, T.L., and Beeson, M.H. 1994. Factors that influenced the eruptive and emplacement histories of flood basalt flows; a field guide to selected vents and flows of the Columbia River Basalt Group. In: Swanson, D.A., and Haugerud, R.A., eds., Geologic field trips in the Pacific Northwest: Seattle, Washington, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Washington Publication, v. 1, chp. 1B, p. 1-18.
Reidel, S.P., Tolan, T.L., Hooper, P.R., Beeson, M.H., Fecht, K.R., Bentley, R.D., and Anderson, J.L. 1989b. The Grande Ronde Basalt, Columbia River Basalt Group - stratigraphic descriptions and correlations in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. In: Reidel, S.P., and Hooper, P.R., eds., Volcanism and tectonism in the Columbia River flood-basalt province: Geological Society of America Special Paper 239, p. 21-53. https://doi.org/10.1130/SPE239-p21
Self, S., Thordarson, T., and Keszthelyi, L. 1997, Emplacement of continental flood basalt lava flows, In: Mahoney, J.J., and Coffin, M.J., eds., Large igneous provinces: Continental, oceanic, and planetary flood volcanism: Washington DC, American Geophysical Union Geophysical Monograph 100, p. 381-410. https://doi.org/10.1029/GM100p0381
Shannon & Wilson, Inc. 1972. Subsurface investigation alternative plant sites Boardman nuclear project, Morrow County, Oregon: Report to Portland General Electric Company.
Shannon & Wilson, Inc. 1973a. Geological studies of the Columbia River basalt structures and age of deformation The Dalles-Umatilla Region, Washington and Oregon Boardman nuclear project. Report to Portland General Electric Company, 55 p.
Shannon & Wilson, Inc. 1973b. Geotechnical investigation for central plant facilities Carty West Site, Boardman nuclear project, Morrow County, Oregon: Report to Portland General Electric Company, v. 1.
Shannon & Wilson, Inc. 1975. Geotechnical investigation Boardman plant Poverty Ridge site Morrow County, Oregon: Report to Portland General Electric Company.
Spane, F.A. and Webber, W.D. 1995. Hydrochemistry and hydrogeologic conditions within the Hanford Site upper basalt confined aquifer system: Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington, Report PNL-10817, 40 p. https://doi.org/10.2172/111944
Steinkampf, W.C. and Hearn, P.P., Jr. 1996. Ground-water geochemistry of the Columbia Plateau aquifer system, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 95-467, 67 p. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr95467
Strait, S.R. and Mercer, R.B. 1987. Hydraulic property data from selected test zones on the Hanford Site: Rockwell Hanford Operations, Richland, Washington, SD-BWI-DP-051, rev. 2, 31 p.
Swanson, D.A., Wright, T.L., Hooper, P.R., and Bentley, R.D. 1979a. Revision in the stratigraphic nomenclature of the Columbia River Basalt Group: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1457-G, 59 p.
Swanson, D.A., Anderson, J.L., Bentley, R.D., Camp, V.E., Gardner, J.N., and Wright, T.L. 1979b. Reconnaissance geologic map of the Columbia River Basalt Group in Washington and adjacent Idaho: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 79-1363, scale 1:250,000. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr791363
Swanson, D.A., Anderson, J.L., Camp, V.E., Hooper, P.R., Taubeneck, W.H., and Wright, T.L. 1981. Reconnaissance geologic map of the Columbia River Basalt Group, northern Oregon and western Idaho: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 81-797, scale 1:250,000. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr81797
Tolan, T.L., Campbell, N.P., and Lindsey, K.A. 2000. Exploring the hydrogeology of the Columbia River Basalt Group - a field guide to selected localities in the Columbia Plateau, Washington: Third Washington State Hydrogeology Symposium, October 14-15, 2000, Tacoma, Washington, 66 p.
Tolan, T.L., Reidel, S.P., Beeson, M.H., Anderson, J.L., Fecht, K.R., and Swanson, D.A. 1989. Revisions to the estimates of the areal extent and volume of the Columbia River Basalt Group. In: Reidel, S.P., and Hooper, P.R., eds., Volcanism and tectonism in the Columbia River flood-basalt province: Geological Society of America Special Paper 239, p. 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1130/SPE239-p1
U.S. DOE (U.S. Department of Energy). 1988. Site characterization plan, Reference Repository Location, Hanford Site, Washington - consultation draft: Washington, D.C., Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, DOE/RW-0164, v. 1 & 2.
Wozniak, K.C. 1995. Chapter 2 - Hydrogeology, in, Grondin, G.H., Wozniak, K.C., Nelson, D.O., and Camacho, I., Hydrogeology, groundwater chemistry, and land uses in the lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area, northern Morrow and Umatilla Counties, Oregon - Final Review Draft: Salem, Oregon, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Report, p. 2.1-2.80.
Waters, A.C. 1961. Stratigraphic and lithologic variations in Columbia River Basalt. American Journal of Science, v. 259, p. 583-611. https://doi.org/10.2475/ajs.259.8.583
Descargas
Publicado
Cómo citar
Número
Sección
Licencia
Derechos de autor 2026 Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución 4.0.
© CSIC. Los originales publicados en las ediciones impresa y electrónica de esta Revista son propiedad del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, siendo necesario citar la procedencia en cualquier reproducción parcial o total.
Salvo indicación contraria, todos los contenidos de la edición electrónica se distribuyen bajo una licencia de uso y distribución “Creative Commons Reconocimiento 4.0 Internacional ” (CC BY 4.0). Consulte la versión informativa y el texto legal de la licencia. Esta circunstancia ha de hacerse constar expresamente de esta forma cuando sea necesario.
No se autoriza el depósito en repositorios, páginas web personales o similares de cualquier otra versión distinta a la publicada por el editor.
