Identification of groundwater recharge areas for improving regional water conservation: application example of water use funds in Brazil

This article presents the results of a research project funded by the Paraiba do Sul Hydrographic Basin Committee with funds obtained through charging water users in this basin. The objective of this project is to develop a series of geospatial geologic information layers and a sequence of hydrogeologic analysis to determine the location of groundwater recharge areas in the basin for future conservation purposes. The results indicate eleven areas with most interaction among lineament characteristics, fracture bundles, and higher fracture densities. These areas should be considered as having higher percolation quality and infiltration capacity, therefore areas with higher potential for groundwater recharge. The results also show that the sedimentary region is the most important groundwater recharge area in the Paraiba do Sul river valley.