Hydrochemical and Isotopic Features of the Khaung Daing Hot Spring (Inle lake, Southern Shan State, Myanmar)

Abstract

The Inle lake watershed develops along a right-lateral strike-slip fault running parallel to the Sangaing fault, a major continental transform fault between the India and Sunda Plates. Located on the northwestern border of the Inle lake basin, the Khaung Daing hot spring outflows at a temperature of about 70̊C. This contribution represents a reconnaissance study of the spring and describes its main hydrochemical and isotopic features, compared to surface and ground waters in the watershed. The water pH is slightly acidic, and, compared to the other water samples from the watershed, shows an EC in the high range (57-1284μS/cm), the lowest pH and Eh values, and is Na-HCO3, whereas surface and ground waters are Ca(Mg)-HCO3 type. The hot spring isotopic composition falls close to the Yangon Meteoric Water Line, indicating that, despite its temperature, it is not strongly modified by water-rock interaction processes. Preliminary results suggest that this hydrothermal water is likely related to deep meteoric and ground water circulation within a fault zone, in a region characterized by an elevated geothermal gradient.