Water

Research

16 pages, 4555 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Determination of Groundwater Recharge Mechanism Based on Environmental Isotopes in Chahannur Basin

by Xizhao Tian, Zhiqiang Gong, Lulu Fu, Di You, Fan Li, Yahui Wang, Zhi Chen and Yahong Zhou

Water 2023, 15(1), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15010180 - 1 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2308

Abstract

In recent years, the lake area of the Chahannur Basin has been decreasing, leading to an increase in salt dust storms. In order to find out the recharge mechanism of groundwater in the Chahannur Basin, a total of 51 groundwater and surface water [...] Read more.

In recent years, the lake area of the Chahannur Basin has been decreasing, leading to an increase in salt dust storms. In order to find out the recharge mechanism of groundwater in the Chahannur Basin, a total of 51 groundwater and surface water samples were collected. Tritium (³H) isotope and Freon (CFCs) were used to estimate the age of groundwater and preliminarily analyze the sources of groundwater recharge. The characteristics of hydrogen, oxygen, and strontium isotopes are used to indicate the characteristics of the water cycle in the Chahannur Basin. The results show that: (1) Two dating methods, tritium isotope (³H) and Freon (CFCs), are suitable for semi-quantitative dating of groundwater in the Chahannur Basin. (2) Hydrogen, oxygen, and strontium isotopes can be used to characterize the groundwater cycle in the Chahannur Basin. (3) The groundwater level around the Chahannur Lake area is low, and the groundwater in the Chahannur Basin flows from the southwest and northwest to the lake area. (4) The groundwater in the Chahannur Basin is mainly replenished by atmospheric precipitation, and the evaporation of groundwater and surface water is strong. The research results provide a basis for the study of measures to prevent the reduction in the Chahannur watershed area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isotope Fingerprints of Precipitation in Groundwater, Lakes and Rivers)

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14 pages, 3755 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Hydrological Conditions on the Isotopic Composition of the Sava River in the Area of the Zagreb Aquifer

by Zoran Kovač, Jadranka Barešić, Jelena Parlov and Andreja Sironić

Water 2022, 14(14), 2263; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14142263 - 20 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2358

Abstract

The Zagreb aquifer is the main source of potable water for the inhabitants of the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County. It presents a strategic water reserve protected by the Republic of Croatia. All previous studies related to the definition of the groundwater–surface [...] Read more.

The Zagreb aquifer is the main source of potable water for the inhabitants of the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County. It presents a strategic water reserve protected by the Republic of Croatia. All previous studies related to the definition of the groundwater–surface interaction in the study area have been made based on the isotopic composition of the Sava River from the location of the Domovinski Most bridge, which is located downstream of most pumping well fields. In 2019, a new monitoring station was established at the Podsusedski Most bridge, at the entrance of the Sava River into the Zagreb aquifer, approximately 23 km upstream of the Domovinski Most bridge. Within this research, water isotope data (δ²H, δ¹⁸O, deuterium excess) from both Sava River and groundwater sites were used along with hydrologic data to examine the extent to which hydrologic conditions affect the isotope signature and whether the interaction between groundwater and the Sava River causes a change in the isotopic composition of the Sava River. In addition, δ¹⁸O amplitudes were estimated for different time periods, as well as the mean residence time for the hydrological year 2019/2020. For that purpose, different statistical methods were applied to the new monthly data for six years for the Domovinski Most bridge and two years for the Podsusedski Most bridge. The δ¹⁸O amplitudes vary from 0.22 to 1.86 depending on the time interval and hydrological conditions, while the mean residence time for the hydrological year 2019/2020 was estimated to be about 2.5 months. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isotope Fingerprints of Precipitation in Groundwater, Lakes and Rivers)

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14 pages, 1738 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

SLONIP—A Slovenian Web-Based Interactive Research Platform on Water Isotopes in Precipitation

by Polona Vreča, Aljaž Pavšek and David Kocman

Water 2022, 14(13), 2127; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14132127 - 4 Jul 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2566

Abstract

Knowledge of how the isotopic composition (i.e., δ²H, δ¹⁸O and ³H) of precipitation changes within an individual catchment allows the origins of surface and groundwater to be differentiated and the dynamic characteristics of water within individual water bodies [...] Read more.

Knowledge of how the isotopic composition (i.e., δ²H, δ¹⁸O and ³H) of precipitation changes within an individual catchment allows the origins of surface and groundwater to be differentiated and the dynamic characteristics of water within individual water bodies to be traced. This paper presents the Slovenian Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (SLONIP), a research platform that has been operating since April 2020. The SLONIP platform currently contains 2572 isotope data points of monthly composite precipitation from eight locations obtained from various investigations performed since 1981. It also provides information about a sample’s location, analysis, and links to the relevant scientific papers. It also presents the data in numerical and graphical form, including monthly, seasonal, and annual means and local meteoric water lines, all calculated using a Python code made freely available on GitHub. The platform provides essential information for geographically, climatologically, and geologically diverse regions like Slovenia and can help improve our understanding of the water cycle on a local and regional scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isotope Fingerprints of Precipitation in Groundwater, Lakes and Rivers)

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8 pages, 2116 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Time-Series Analysis of Isotope Composition of Precipitation in Zagreb, Croatia

by Damir Borković, Zoran Kovač and Ines Krajcar Bronić

Water 2022, 14(13), 2008; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14132008 - 23 Jun 2022

Viewed by 1803

Abstract

Air temperature and precipitation data (1976–2021), stable isotope composition (δ¹⁸O, δ²H) data, and deuterium excess (1980–2021) data were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA), Fourier analysis (FA), and wavelet analysis (WA). The PCA represented each month by a [...] Read more.

Air temperature and precipitation data (1976–2021), stable isotope composition (δ¹⁸O, δ²H) data, and deuterium excess (1980–2021) data were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA), Fourier analysis (FA), and wavelet analysis (WA). The PCA represented each month by a single dot in the diagram, and month 1 and month 7 were clearly distinguished. The FA and WA gave the 12-month period for all parameters, but the strongest power was for temperature, then δ¹⁸O and δ²H, and finally for the precipitation amount and deuterium excess. Both Pearson’s r and Spearman’s ρ correlation coefficients gave similar values for δ²H—δ¹⁸O and temperature—δ²H, δ¹⁸O correlations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isotope Fingerprints of Precipitation in Groundwater, Lakes and Rivers)

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21 pages, 4292 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Integrated Approach to Characterising Sulphur Karst Springs: A Case Study of the Žvepovnik Spring in NE Slovenia

by Petra Žvab Rožič, Teja Polenšek, Timotej Verbovšek, Tjaša Kanduč, Janez Mulec, Polona Vreča, Ljudmila Strahovnik and Boštjan Rožič

Water 2022, 14(8), 1249; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14081249 - 13 Apr 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2484

Abstract

We present an integrated approach to characterizing the Žvepovnik sulphur spring, comprising detailed basic geological (mapping), geochemical (physico-chemical, elementary), isotopic (δ²H, δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C_DIC, δ³⁴S and ³H), and microbiological analyses. We used [...] Read more.

We present an integrated approach to characterizing the Žvepovnik sulphur spring, comprising detailed basic geological (mapping), geochemical (physico-chemical, elementary), isotopic (δ²H, δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C_DIC, δ³⁴S and ³H), and microbiological analyses. We used a multi-parameter approach to determine the origin of the water (meteoric or deeper infiltration), the origin of the carbon and sulphur, and water retention times. Our special research interest is the origin of the sulphur, as sulphur springs are rare and insufficiently investigated. Our results show that the Žvepovnik spring occurs along the fault near the contact between the dolomite aquifer and overlying shales and volcanoclastic beds. The spring water is the result of the mixing of (1) deeper waters in contact with gypsum and anhydrite and (2) shallow waters originating from precipitation and flowing through the surface carbonate aquifer. The results of δ²H and δ¹⁸O confirm local modern precipitation as the main source of the spring. δ¹³C_DIC originates from the degradation of organic matter and the dissolution of carbonates. We therefore propose four possible sources of sulphur: (1) the most probable is the dissolution of gypsum/anhydrite; (2) barite may be a minor source of sulphur; (3) the microbial dissimilatory sulfate reduction; and (4) the oxidation of pyrite as the least probable option. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isotope Fingerprints of Precipitation in Groundwater, Lakes and Rivers)

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16 pages, 3632 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterizing the Groundwater Flow Regime in a Landslide Recharge Area Using Stable Isotopes: A Case Study of the Urbas Landslide Area in NW Slovenia

by Katja Koren, Luka Serianz and Mitja Janža

Water 2022, 14(6), 912; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14060912 - 15 Mar 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2547

Abstract

Slope stability strongly depends on the prevailing hydrological and hydrogeological conditions. The amount and intensity of precipitation and changing groundwater levels are important landslide triggering factors. Environmental tracers, including the chemical and stable isotope compositions of precipitation and groundwater, were used to gain [...] Read more.

Slope stability strongly depends on the prevailing hydrological and hydrogeological conditions. The amount and intensity of precipitation and changing groundwater levels are important landslide triggering factors. Environmental tracers, including the chemical and stable isotope compositions of precipitation and groundwater, were used to gain insight into the groundwater dynamics of the Urbas landslide. The landslide is situated in a mountainous area with steep slopes and high precipitation amount and poses a high risk for the safety of the Koroška Bela settlement that lies downstream. The stable isotope analyses of oxygen-18 (¹⁸O) and deuterium (²H) in the precipitation and groundwater were used to estimate the groundwater mean residence time and the average altitude of the landslide recharge area. This information will help to plan and prioritize remedial landslide measures aiming to reduce the recharge of the landslide body and, thus, lower the risk of transformation of the sliding material into debris flow. The results of the chemical analysis of samples taken from springs and a piezometer show a Ca–HCO₃ water type. This indicates low water–rock interaction in a landslide area composed of Upper Carboniferous and Permian clastic rocks and points to upper laying carbonate rocks and scree deposits as the main recharge area. Water samples for stable isotope analyses of δ¹⁸O and δ²H were collected from a rain gauge, springs, and a piezometer over a two-year period (2018–2020). The estimated mean recharge altitude of the groundwater at sampling points was from approximately 1700 to 1800 m a.s.l. with a mean residence time of 2–5 months. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isotope Fingerprints of Precipitation in Groundwater, Lakes and Rivers)

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14 pages, 3675 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Groundwater Recharge Assessment Using Multi Component Analysis: Case Study at the NW Edge of the Varaždin Alluvial Aquifer, Croatia

by Igor Karlović, Tamara Marković and Tatjana Vujnović

Water 2022, 14(1), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14010042 - 24 Dec 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3325

Abstract

Exploring the interaction between precipitation, surface water, and groundwater has been a key subject of many studies dealing with water quality management. The Varaždin aquifer is an example of an area where high nitrate content in groundwater raised public concern, so it is [...] Read more.

Exploring the interaction between precipitation, surface water, and groundwater has been a key subject of many studies dealing with water quality management. The Varaždin aquifer is an example of an area where high nitrate content in groundwater raised public concern, so it is important to understand the aquifer recharge for proper management and preservation of groundwater quality. The NW part of the Varaždin aquifer has been selected for study area, as precipitation, Drava River, accumulation lake, and groundwater interact in this area. In this study, groundwater and surface water levels, water temperature, water isotopes (²H and ¹⁸O), and chloride (Cl⁻) were monitored in precipitation, surface water, and groundwater during the four-year period to estimate groundwater recharge. Head contour maps were constructed based on the groundwater and surface water levels. The results show that aquifer is recharged from both Drava River and accumulation lake for all hydrological conditions–low, mean, and high groundwater levels. The monitoring results of water temperature, chloride content, and stable water isotopes were used as tracers, i.e. as an input to the mixing model for estimation of the contribution ratio from each recharge source. The calculation of mixing proportions showed that surface water is a key mechanism of groundwater recharge in the study area, with a contribution ratio ranging from 55% to 100% depending on the proximity of the observation well to surface water. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isotope Fingerprints of Precipitation in Groundwater, Lakes and Rivers)

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14 pages, 3749 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Current Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotopic Status of Lake Baikal

by Andrey Fedotov, Ruslan Gnatovsky, Vadim Blinov, Maria Sakirko, Valentina Domysheva and Olga Stepanova

Water 2021, 13(23), 3476; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13233476 - 6 Dec 2021

Viewed by 3240

Abstract

This study revises the δ¹⁸O and δ²H status of Lake Baikal. The mean values of δ¹⁸O and δ²H varied from −15.9 to −15.5‰ and from −123.2 to 122.2‰, respectively, for the past 30 yr. The [...] Read more.

This study revises the δ¹⁸O and δ²H status of Lake Baikal. The mean values of δ¹⁸O and δ²H varied from −15.9 to −15.5‰ and from −123.2 to 122.2‰, respectively, for the past 30 yr. The isotopic composition of the lake remained more ‘‘light” compared to the regional precipitation and rivers inflows. The isotopic composition of the lake has begun to change since ca.1920 after the Little Ice Age; however, Lake Baikal still has not reached the isotopically steady state in the present. The calculated composition of the steady-state should be −12.3‰ for δ¹⁸O and −103.6‰ for δ²H. If regional climate parameters do not change dramatically, Lake Baikal will reach these values in ca. 226 yr. Based on isotopic fingerprints of the upper (0 to 150 m) and near-bottom layers (ca. 150 m from the bottom floor), the renewal in the southern and central basins of Lake Baikal has occurred recently compared to the northern Baikal basin, and the size of the mixing-cell of downwelling is close to 30 km. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isotope Fingerprints of Precipitation in Groundwater, Lakes and Rivers)

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