A new approach to analyzing groundwater trough its manifestations in the landscapes and toponymy: "Subtle" Hydrogeology

Abstract

espanol“Hidrogeologia sutil” se refiere al conjunto de manifestaciones y procesos del agua subterranea de acuiferos minusculos en un area particular que, en muchos casos, involucra dimensiones humanas y sociales. Son caracteristicas aparentemente insignificantes, pero encierran antiguos secretos de la relacion agua subterranea y paisaje. El agua subterranea, en formaciones multicapa de baja permeabilidad con poco espesor saturado, apenas tiene valor comercial. Sin embargo, es un recurso valioso para las sociedades rurales tradicionales, y ha dado lugar a una amplia gama de manifestaciones ecologicas, culturales, patrimoniales y toponimicas. Estas manifestaciones se estudian en la cuenca alta del Alfambra (Teruel, Espana), desde una perspectiva tanto geologica como hidrogeologica, y desde la cultura y el patrimonio (manantiales, surgencias y toponimia especifica…). Para esta nueva vision, que contempla y estudia la relacion entre el agua subterranea y el paisaje, expresada a traves de una toponimia peculiar (hidronimia), se utilizara el termino “hidrogeologia sutil”. English“Subtle Hydrogeology” refers to the set of groundwater manifestations and processes in minuscule aquifers in a particular land area that, in many cases, involve human and social dimensions. These are apparently insignificant features, but they conceal the ancient secrets of groundwater and the landscape. Groundwater associated with multilayer low-permeability formations with little saturated thickness hardly has any commercial value. It is, however, a valuable resource for traditionally rural societies, and has given rise to a wide range of ecological, cultural, heritage-related, and toponymic manifestations. These manifestations are studied here in the upper Alfambra basin (Teruel, Spain), from both a geological and a hydrogeological perspective, and from the viewpoint of culture and heritage (with springs, seepages and specific toponymy). For this novel view which contemplates and studies the relationship of groundwater and the landscape, expressed through a specific toponymy (hydronymy), the term “subtle hydrogeology” will be used.