Evaluation of a Weathered Rock Aquifer Using ERT Method in South Guangdong, China

In areas where weathering has hydrogeological significance, geophysical methods can assist to map the subsurface characteristics for groundwater occurrence. In this study, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) survey in combination with joint profile method (JPM), magnetic method and borehole data was conducted to investigate the aquifer potential in strongly weathered volcanic rocks. The aim was to assess the geological units related to the water-bearing formation of aquifer systems in South Guangdong, China. The resistivities were measured along four profiles each with a total of 81 electrodes, a spread length of 400 m and an electrode spacing of 5 m insuring continuous coverage. The data from a borehole survey revealed three different layers i.e., highly weathered layer, partly weathered layer and fresh basement rock, whose respective thickness were integrated into ERT images to get more useful results about the real resistivity ranges of the these layers (i.e., 22 Omega m-345 W m for highly weathered layer, 324 Omega m-926 W m for partly weathered and 913 Omega m-2579 W m for fresh bedrock). The electrical resistivity imaging including the surface topography provides spatial variations in electrical properties of the weathered/unweathered layers since resistivity depends on the properties of a material rather than its thickness. ERT sections were integrated with JPM and magnetic method to delineate the main faults (F1, F2 and F3). ERT sections show a geometric relationship between different layered boundaries, particularly those of the aquifers with fresh basement and surface topographies. These layers comprise an overburden of 50 m thickness revealed by ERT sections. The results show that weathered and partly weathered layers between the topographic surface and bed rock yield maximum aquifer potential in the study area. ERT imaging method provides promising input to groundwater evaluation in the areas of weathered environment with complex geology.