Groundwater recharge, flow and hydrogeochemical evolution in a complex volcanic aquifer system, central Ethiopia

Abstract

Hydrochemical, multivariate statistical and inverse hydrogeochemical modeling techniques were used to investigate groundwater recharge, flow and the hydrochemical evolution within the Akaki volcanic aquifer system, central Ethiopia. The hydrochemical and multivariate statistical techniques are mutually supportive and the extracted information was analyzed together with environmental isotope data. Results reveal five spatial groundwater zones with defined hydrochemical facies, residence times, stable isotopic signals and hydrochemical evolution. These zones are designated as the (1) Intoto, (2) central, (3) Filwuha fault, (4) south zones and (5) a highly polluted sub-sector identified within the central zone. Both the hydrochemical and multivariate statistical analyses have shown the central sub-sector as being spite of differentially polluted by \({\text{NO}}^{ - }_{3}\), Cl− and \({\text{SO}}^{{2 - }}_{4}\) and its tritium content shows recent recharge. Due to the fact that the main recharge source is precipitation, the hydrochemical and environmental isotope data clearly indicated that the central and southern sectors are also recharged from domestic waste water and leakage from water mains and reservoirs. Inverse hydrogeochemical modeling demonstrated reactions of silicate minerals in a CO2 open system and precipitation of kaolinite, chalcedony, and rare calcite satisfy the observed change in water chemistry from north to south following the regional flow direction.