A new tritium interface method for determining the recharge rate of deep groundwater in the Bavarian Molasse basin

Abstract

A new, inexpensive method for estimating recharge rates of deep groundwater is described using the aquifer in the Bavarian Molasse basin as an example. The depth of the interface between tritium-bearing and tritium-free groundwater, together with the hydraulic conductivity of the leaky layer overlying the aquifer and the duration of anthropogenic tritium input, were used to calculate recharge rates of 1–61s − km −2 for the study area. The results agree with the recharge rates determined by other methods.