Characterization of a karstic aquifer using magnetic resonance sounding and electrical resistivity tomography: a case-study of Estaa Lakes (northern Spain)

The geophysical characterization of a previously unstudied endorheic karstic system is presented. The studied area, known as the Estaa Lakes, is located in the Pyrenean Marginal Sierras, northern Spain. The Estaa Lakes are a set of natural water ponds on a bedrock of Triassic evaporites, lutites and carbonates. This wetland is included in the Natura 2000 European network of nature protection areas as a Site of Community Importance. Two geophysical techniques were used, magnetic resonance sounding (MRS) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), to map the subsurface geology and characterize the aquifer layers and the hydraulic links between the aquifers and lakes. The geophysical data were integrated with the surface geology and data from six boreholes. Ten electrical profiles were performed to identify the thickness of the units and lithological changes, whereas the MRS was used to determine the top of the saturated zone. As result, the aquifer in the Estaa Lakes system and surrounding area has been identified as Middle Triassic carbonates, which does not correspond with the regional aquifer in the area (Upper Cretaceous and Eocene). This work shows the power of geophysical methods in poorly understood and tectonically complex areas in addition to the standard aquifer tests to evaluate hydraulic properties.