Abstract
Abstract. For sustainable water resource management in semi-arid regions, sound information is required about interactions between the different components of the water system: rain/snow precipitation, surface/subsurface run-off, groundwater recharge. Exemplarily, the Huasco and Limarí river basins as water stressed river catchments have been studied by isotope and hydrochemical methods for (i) the origin of water, (ii) water quality, (iii) relations of surface and groundwater. Applying the complex multi-isotopic and hydrochemical methodology to the water components of the Huasco and Limarí basins, a differentiation of water components concerning subsurface flow and river water along the catchment area and by anthropogenic impacts are detected. Sulphate and nitrate concentrations indicate remarkable input from mining and agricultural activities along the river catchment. The 2H-18O relations of river water and groundwater of both catchments point to the behaviour of river waters originated in an arid to semi-arid environment. Consequently, the groundwater from several production wells in the lower parts of the catchments is related to the rivers where the wells located, however, it can be distinguished from the river water. Using the hydrological water balance and the isotope mixing model, the interaction between surface and subsurface flows and river flow is estimated.
Highlights
In the Coquimbo and Atacama regions the vulnerability of the natural water resources is increasing by the water requirements of the agricultural and mining industry and of the urban development which requires a sustainable water resource management
For sustainable water resource management in semi-arid regions, sound information is required about interactions between the different components of the water system: rain/snow precipitation, surface/subsurface run-off, groundwater recharge
Downwards near Ovalle, river water (33) and groundwater (30) have the same Ca-(Na)-HCO3-(SO4) water signature, but anthropogenic based with likewise high nitrate concentration in the groundwater
Summary
In the Coquimbo and Atacama regions the vulnerability of the natural water resources is increasing by the water requirements of the agricultural and mining industry and of the urban development which requires a sustainable water resource management. River water from the Rio Chollay (samples 3, 8) has 3.2 Stable isotopes of water a remarkable load of sulphate (Fig. 2) discharging the high mountain mining area (Pascua Lama District). The 2H-18O signature of both water catchments follow the groundwater at Monte Patria and Ovalle correlates signifimeteoric water relation (Fig. 3) and point to precipitation cantly to the lake water of the dams.
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