Modelización hidrogeoquímica de una red fluvial afectada por drenaje ácido de mina (cuenca del río Odiel)situación actual y repercusión de posibles actuaciones de remediación

  1. Jonatan Romero-Matos 1
  2. Francisco Macías 1
  3. Manuel Olías 1
  4. Mª Dolores Basallote 1
  5. Ricardo Millán-Becerro 1
  6. Jose Miguel Nieto 1
  1. 1 Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y Centro de Investigación en Recursos Minerales, Salud y Medio Ambiente (RENSMA). Universidad de Huelva, Campus “El Carmen" Huelva
Journal:
Geogaceta

ISSN: 0213-683X

Year of publication: 2023

Issue: 73

Pages: 27-30

Type: Article

More publications in: Geogaceta

Sustainable development goals

Abstract

The current situation of the Odiel River basin, severely polluted by acid mine drainage (AMD), calls for the design of a hydrogeochemical predictive model which matches the actual hydrochemical conditions along the watershed. The model allows an individual or combined evaluation of the different river courses within the basin, assessing the pollution grade of each one, the acid and metal load contribution of the leachates and the results of their mixing within the watershed confluences. Given the uncertainties associated to the future construction of the Alcolea reservoir and the pressures exerted by the European Water Framework Directive, the model could be a useful tool for simulating remediation actions in the basin and evaluate their impact on the water quality. Therefore, reduction of 50% and 100% of the pollutant load delivered by the Riotinto, Tharsis and San Telmo mines has been modeled. It is estimated that the concentration of Al, Fe, SO4 would decrease significantly in the lower part of the Odiel basin, where the future dam will be located.