Investigating the hydrogeological properties of springs in a karstic aquifer in Dorfak region (Guilan Province, Iran)

Abstract

Karstic aquifers are considered as the main sources of groundwater in the northeast of Rudbar, Iran. The present study was conducted to evaluate the hydrogeological properties of karstic springs in this region. For this purpose, saturation indices (SI values) were calculated using the geochemical PHREEQC model for a number of minerals in the groundwater in the karstic aquifer. Moreover, AqQA-RockWare software packages were used to prepare hydrogeochemical plots for the aquifer, using which the sources of the ions in the water were identified. The origin of bicarbonate, calcium, and magnesium ions in water was determined using chloro-alkaline indices. Moreover, through plotting a Piper diagram for spring water samples, it was discovered that water type of all springs is the Ca-HCO3 type, confirming the karstic characteristic of springs in the area. A Durov diagram also suggests that the water composition of the springs is of the bicarbonate type with the dominant Ca cation, suggesting the calcareous effects of the region on the quality of groundwater and exhibiting a single source for the springs. The calculated saturation indices show that most of the water samples are undersaturated with respect to calcite, dolomite, and CO2. The stable isotopes (δ18O and δ2H) and deuterium excess values were used to get information about transport pathways in groundwater, atmospheric moisture, and the degree of interaction between these reservoirs. The degree of karstification of the recharge area of the karst aquifer was determined to be 5.5 from an analysis of the hydrograph Sefidab Spring.