Application of new techniques in the characterization of wetlands related to groundwater Aplicación de nuevas técnicas en la caracterización de humedales relacionados con el agua subterránea

CAPÍTULO, LEANDRO RODRIGUES; LAURENCENA, PATRICIA; GARCÍA, JUAN MANUEL; GÓMEZ, NORA; KRUSE, EDUARDO EMILIO

BOLETIN GEOLOGICO Y MINERO

Instituto Geologico y Minero de Espana

Lugar: Madrid; Año: 2021 vol. 132 p. 7 - 14

0366-0176

The appearance of modern technological tools facilitates the characterization, monitoring, and modelling of wetlands related to groundwater. These techniques include the use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) and continuous measurement sensors for water levels and quality. The traditional procedures associated with these new technologies provide an opportunity to advance the hydrological knowledge of wetlands with greater precision. The main guidelines of the methodology used in a study covering wetlands located in the northeast of the Province of Buenos Aires are presented. Photogrammetric surveys were carried out with a multi-rotor type drone equipped with a high-resolution RGB sensor. The configurations of flight, height, speed, frontal and lateral overlap and route grid were programmed to evaluate the areal variations of the wetlands. The information was processed using specific software. From field surveys, monitoring drilling was carried out in the vicinity of the wetland, where sensors were installed for the continuous measurement of levels, electrical conductivity of water and temperature. The results obtained consist of high-resolution ortho-rectified mosaics, digital elevation models and 3D terrain models, which show the areal variations of water in the wetland surface. This, associated with the data recorded in the drilling, allows a spatiotemporal analysis at different scales of the surface water-groundwater relationship in the wetland.