Characterization of Hydrogeochemical Processes in Associated Aquifers of a Semiarid Region (SE Spain)

The Lower Almanzora region possesses very limited water resources, which are variable in time and space. Because of this, the water demand of the population and the agricultural activities has to be aided on the use of groundwater from little interrelated aquifers. The physical‐chemical variability has been interpreted in the conceptual framework of the hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry of the area. Hydrogeochemical processes have been studied according to different techniques involving physical‐chemical data, describing them as included in the conceptual framework of the hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry of the area. Factor analysis (FA) has indicated strong influence of sulfate and chloride salts, a weaker influence of limestone dissolution due to CO2, and subsequent dissolution of silicated clays, also contamination of nitrate from intensive agriculture. The results of three techniques: Principal Component Factor Analysis (PCFA), inverse hydrochemical modeling and forward hydrochemical modeling, used jointly are different of the independent results of every technique by separate. The description and quantifying of the processes is, then, enhanced.