Geochemical characterization of components of the groundwater flow system in the basin of Mexico

More than 21 million people live within the Basin of Mexico. Water is the main concern of this large population, where groundwater has been intensively exploited, leading to subsidence and fracturing of the ground. It is for this reason that it’s very important to understand the behavior of groundwater flow system components. This knowledge can help to more effectively manage water use and conserve the recharge zones. The main purpose of this study is to identify and characterize the components of groundwater flow system. Cluster analysis was used to classify 303 groundwater samples into groups. The groups show that chemical concentrations increase along the trajectories of groundwater flow. We describe these groups and identify three components in the flow system; the upper zone, the intermediate zone and the inferior zone. Different water management policies are suggested for each system component, because they have different response times to the actions taken in their use and conservation.