Identifying Groundwater Recharge Sites through Environmental Stable Isotopes in an Alluvial Aquifer

Julián González-Trinidad,Arturo Hernández-Antonio,Carlos Bautista-Capetillo,Anuard Pacheco-Guerrero,Hugo Júnez-Ferreira

doi:10.3390/w9080569

Julián González-Trinidad, Arturo Hernández-Antonio + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/w9080569

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Abstract

Environmental isotope tracers have been a useful tool in providing new insights into hydrologic processes. In Mexico, there have been several studies reporting different values for δ 18 O and δ 2 H for certain geographical areas. The objective of this study is to achieve the isotopic characterization of rainfall and groundwater and to report the comprehensive understanding of groundwater flow processes around and within the Calera aquifer and, consequently, its potential recharge sites. The samples used for the stable isotope analysis ( δ 18 O , δ 2 H ) were measured using a GV-Isoprime isotope-ratio mass spectrometer at the Isotopy Laboratory of the Water Center for Latin America and the Caribbean. The δ D of precipitation ranged between −110.20‰ and 10.11‰, with a mean of −55.67‰ ± 27.81‰. The δ 18 O ranged between −17.80‰ and 2.74‰, with a mean of −9.44‰ ± 4.74‰. The δ D of groundwater ranged between −81.92‰ and −36.45‰, with a mean of −66.05‰ ± 8.58‰. The δ 18 O ranged between −18.26‰ and −8.84‰, with a mean of −12.35‰ ± 2.12‰. The local meteoric water line of the Zacatecas state is δ D = − 2.03 + 5.68 δ 18 O . The groundwater samples were clustered into four groups. The clustering of the samples led to the finding that streamflows play a significant role in the hydrological balance as a source of local recharge to the aquifer.

Highlights

Environmental isotope tracers have been a useful tool in providing new insights into hydrologic processes; they integrate small-scale variability to provide an effective indication of catchment-scale processes [1]
The objective of this study is to obtain the isotopic characterization of rainfall and groundwater, as well as to report the comprehensive understanding of groundwater flow processes around the Calera aquifer and, its potential recharge sites
Environmental isotopes in groundwater of the Calera aquifer were used to identify different sources of water contributing groundwater

Summary

Introduction

Environmental isotope tracers have been a useful tool in providing new insights into hydrologic processes; they integrate small-scale variability to provide an effective indication of catchment-scale processes [1]. The chemical composition of rainfall is determined by several mechanisms: the condensation of water vapor on cloud condensation nuclei, the capture of species inside the cloud droplets (rainout), and scavenging processes below the clouds (washout) [4,5]. (a) the temperature of condensation of the precipitation and (b) the ratio of water vapor that has already. Water 2017, 9, 569 condensed into precipitation to the initial amount of water vapor in the air mass. Other factors such as altitude, latitude, inland distance along different storm tracks, environmental conditions at the source of the vapor, and humidity influence the isotopic composition of precipitation [1]

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