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The Ayangue commune in the Santa Elena province, Ecuador, has a water distribution for human consumption but lacks an endowment for agricultural use. This work aims to evaluate alternatives for water use through hydrogeological studies and monitoring the water quality of stabilisation ponds for a water management proposal for agriculture. The study includes: i) hydrogeological analysis of the study area; ii) groundwater study using vertical electrical soundings (VES) and laboratory tests (e.g., permeability and porosity); iii) assessment and influence of pretreated wastewater using physical-chemical analysis of water and fruit quality; and iv) water use strategies in agriculture using Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis. The findings determined five zones with the potential for the extraction of groundwater at depths between 20 m and 30 m, with an approximate volume of the saturated zone of 1175.6 km³ that will allow the water resources supply for irrigation with a proposal for dikes for artificial recharge of aquifers. The analysis of treated wastewater reflects the permissible levels of contaminants that do not contaminate or harm the quality of cultivated fruits. Specifically, the success of the joint use of treated wastewater and groundwater as a sustainable water management model for irrigation is evidenced by proposals for the implementation of surface water storage techniques for aquifer recharge and the installation of tertiary purification systems, such as green filters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is an essential element for agricultural sustainability. In volcanic islands, freshwater sources are limited, challenging the local farming water supply. Rainfall dependence in the Galapagos Islands limits continuous agriculture, and despite using natural water sources, their irrigation quality is little known. This study aimed to carry out a control–diagnosis of irrigation water quality of the natural sources of the four agrarian islands of the Galapagos, considering water quality parameters for the proposal of sustainability strategies in the water and agricultural context. The workflow included (i) freshwater supply situation diagnosis, (ii) physicochemical parameters measurement and hydrochemical characterisation, and (iii) irrigation analysis and sustainability strategies configuration. Results indicated that of the 34 sources analysed, 55.88% are suitable for irrigation and are located in San Cristobal and Santa Cruz. The remaining 44.12% showed problems with parameters such as faecal coliforms, salinity, metals, carbonates, BOD5, and COD above the national permitted limits. Six strategies for water and agricultural sustainability are proposed, including periodic water monitoring, academy–government–community projects, community water board creation, water sowing and harvesting systems, effective management of effluent, and agricultural strengthening. The study guides comprehensive hydric management initiatives to benefit agrarian development and food security, aligning with SDGs 2 and 6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Travel itineraries are fundamental in the development of tourism of a given area. Traditional thematic routes (e.g., architectural, archaeological) can be significantly improved and optimized by including geological and mining interest sites. The present study offers an analysis of the influence that inclusion of geosites or mining sites could have on the existing routes of the Zaruma-Portovelo region (Ecuador), together with a global assessment of these itineraries as the basis of fostering local development in communities of the region. The methodology consists of the following stages: (i) compilation of existing travel itineraries; (ii) analysis and assessment of those geosites and mining sites that are included in two geotouristic routes through the Spanish Inventory of Places of Geological Interest method (IELIG, acronym in Spanish), but have not been assessed previously; (iii) assessment of existing routes (two geotouristic routes and one geomining route) from a global perspective through the Geotouristic Route Assessment Matrix method (GtRAM, acronym in Spanish); and (iv) definition of strategies for the development and promotion of travel itineraries within the context of geotourism. According to the results of quantitative assessment, three new sites (both geosites and mining sites) were studied and their obtained score of interest was "High" (164/400). The existing routes achieved good results both from the geological-mining perspective "High" score of (189/400) and within a global context "Very High" score of (3.5/5). The quantitative assessment allowed us to propose improvement strategies to disseminate and use these itineraries to unfold sustainable development based on geotourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]