Gabriel Oladele Awe

Environmental Mapping of Áreas Vulnerable to Contamination in the Guarani Aquifer in the Municipality of Faxinal do Soturno – RS, Brazil

The increasing demand for natural resources, for agricultural use and urban development, could advance towards areas with possible risk of groundwater contamination, because they are not well planned and/or inadequate environmental studies appropriate to a particular condition of use. This situation is related to the natural vulnerability that evaluates soil type, geology, slope and permanent preservation area; identified as environmental conflicts, due to inappropriate activities, in areas with potential risk of groundwater contamination. Thus, the objectives of this study were to conduct a survey of potentially contaminating activities and to relate their areas of influence with the map of natural vulnerability, which defines the interrelationship among soil maps, geology, slope the municipality of Faxinal do Soturno – RS, Brazil to check possible improper soil use. For this purpose, data were collected from wells and a potentiometric surface map was generated from the static level of wells, which allowed the estimation of groundwater flow. In the municipality, potential activities, including cemeteries, hospitals, fuel station, brick kilns and sawmills with potential risk of contamination were identified. With available technical procedures, potentially contaminating activities were identified in areas of medium and high vulnerability, which characterizes the possible risk of contaminating the groundwater.