Features of Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotopes in Waters from the Karst Mountains, Xiangxi River Basin

Abstract

Targeting the carbonate-dominated catchment of Xiangxi River, the first tributary of Three Gorges Reservoir, this paper explores the spatiotemporal distribution of stable isotopes in the stream water, and distinguishes the water sources and recharge processes in the river basin. Multiple water samples were collected from the catchments of the main tributaries of Xiangxi River, namely, Nanyang River and Gaolan River. The results show that the two tributary catchments had obvious spatial and seasonable variability in δ18O and δD. This is attributable to the seasonal changes in meteoric precipitation recharge, which depends on ambient temperature, precipitation, evaporation, and secondary evaporation of raindrops. Besides, there is a strong elevation effect on stable isotopes in stream water. In the samples from Gaolan River, the mean elevation effect on the δ18O and δD was -0.35‰, and -1.57‰ per 100m change in elevation in summer, and -0.12‰, and -1.19‰ per 100m change in elevation in winter, respectively. In the samples from Nanyang River, the mean elevation effect on the δ18O and δD was -0.14‰ and -0.89‰ per 100m change in elevation in summer, and -0.08‰ and -0.66‰ per 100m change in elevation in winter, respectively. The δD, δ18O, and deuterium excess (d-value) are not only affected by the elevation effect, but also by the seasonal effect in the study area. The seasonal variations and spatial changes in the tributary catchments reveal the difference between the two catchments in control factors like latitude effect, evaporation, and the mixing of different water sources.