Optimization of water resources management using SWOT analysis: the case of Zakynthos Island, Ionian Sea, Greece

Zakynthos, an island of 408 km² in the Ionian Sea, is completely dependent on its groundwater resources for fulfilling the demands of the water supplies. The use of groundwater resources has become particularly intensive during the last decades because of the intense urbanization, the tourist development and the irrigated land expansion that took place. The main aquifers are developed in limestones (karstic), sandstones of neogene deposits (confined) and alluvial deposits (phreatic). This paper focuses on the assessment of their hydrogeological characteristics and the groundwater quality. For this investigation, groundwater level measurements, drilling data, pumping tests and chemical analyses of groundwater samples were used. The average annual consumption that is abstracted from the aquifer systems, is 4.9 × 10⁶ m³ year⁻¹. The exploitable groundwater reserves were estimated to be 3.3 × 10⁶ m³ year⁻¹. In the last decades, the total abstractions exceed the natural recharge, due to the tourist development; therefore the aquifer systems are not used safely. The results of chemical analyses showed a deterioration of the groundwater quality. According to the analyses the shallow alluvial aquifer and the confined aquifer are polluted by nitrates at concentrations in excess of 25 mg L⁻¹. High sulphate concentrations might be related to the dissolution of gypsum. Seawater intrusion phenomena are recorded in coastal parts of aquifer systems. The increased Cl⁻ concentrations in karstic aquifer indicate signs of overexploitation. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis was applied in order to evaluate the SWOT of the groundwater resources. Moreover, some recommendations are made to assist the rational management that aim at improving the sustainability of the groundwater resources of Zakynthos Island.     

Suspended sediment load in the Amazon basin: An overview

In this report the state of knowledge of sediment transport by rivers of the Amazon drainage basin is reviewed. On an annual basis the Amazon river transports about 1200×10⁶ tons of sediment from the South American continent to the ocean, which puts it among the world's largest rivers in this respect. The main source of sediment is erosion in the Andes mountains and this material is progressively diluted with sediment poor runoff from lowland draining tributaries. Almost half of the Amazon river transport is attributable to one tributary, the Rio Madeira (488×10⁶ t/y). The Rio Negro, which drains the N crystalline shield, has a comparable water discharge to the Rio Madeira, but only contributes 7×10⁶ t/y. In general the sediments in transport are about 1% organic carbon by weight and this results in an annual particulate carbon to the oceans of 13×10⁶ t/y. Total carbon transport, particulate plus dissolved, is about twice this amount.     

Quantification of the water balance and hydrogeological processes of groundwater–lake interactions in the Pampa Plain, Argentina

This paper gives an account of the assessment and quantification of the water balance and the hydrogeological processes related to lake–groundwater interaction in the Pampa Plain by using hydrogeochemical, isotopic and flow numerical modeling techniques. La Salada is a permanent shallow lake, with an area of 5.8 km², located on the SE of Buenos Aires Province. A total of 29 lake water samples and 15 groundwater samples were collected for both hydrochemical analysis and environmental stable isotope determination. Water table depths were measured in wells closed to the lake. Groundwater samples appear grouped on the Local Meteoric Water Line, suggesting a well-mixed system and that rainfall is the main recharge source to the aquifer. Water evaporation process within La Salada is also corroborated by its isotopic composition. The model that best adjusts to La Salada Lake hydrochemical processes includes evaporation from groundwater, calcite precipitation with CO₂ release and cationic exchange. The annual water balance terms for the lake basin indicates for each hydrological component the following values: 1.16 E⁰⁸ m³ rainfall, 8.15 E⁰⁷ m³ evapotranspiration, 1.90 E⁰⁶ m³ runoff, 1.55 E⁰⁷ m³ groundwater recharge, 6.01 E⁰⁶ m³ groundwater discharge to the lake, 9.54 E⁰⁶ m³ groundwater discharge to the river, 5.00 E⁰⁵ m³ urban extraction and 4.90 E⁰⁶ m³ lake evaporation. Integrated analysis of hydrochemical and isotopic information helped to calibrate the groundwater flow model, to validate the conceptual model and to quantitatively assess the basin water balance.     

Analysis of groundwater mining in two carbonate aquifers in Sierra de Estepa (SE Spain) based on hydrodynamic and hydrochemical data

The carbonate aquifers of Lora and Mingo form part of the hydrogeological unit of Sierra de Estepa (SE Spain). By means of time series analysis and a 1D numerical groundwater model, groundwater exploitation was quantified and the mean annual recharge in both systems was estimated (2001–2004). During this period, the Lora and Mingo aquifers received an average groundwater recharge of 0.29 × 10⁶ m³/year and 0.14 × 10⁶ m³/year, respectively, whereas an average of 0.34 × 10⁶ m³/year and 0.21 × 10⁶ m³/year, respectively, was extracted. These conditions led to a conspicuous lowering of the water table in both systems. In addition, the analysis of the evolution of the main hydrogeochemical parameters of the groundwater showed that the increased pumping rates produced an increase in total dissolved solids, and chloride and sodium ions in both aquifers. In the case of the Lora aquifer, the only ion that presented decreased levels was nitrate. The results show that groundwater pumping in both aquifers should not exceed the mean annual recharge of 0.29 × 10⁶ m³/year and 0.14 × 10⁶ m³/year in the Lora and Mingo aquifers, respectively. Nevertheless, it would be advisable to reduce pumping rates to below these values in order to restore piezometric levels and improve groundwater quality for different uses in the future.     

Assessing groundwater vulnerability using travel time and specific surface area as indicators

 A method for general assessment of groundwater vulnerability was developed using the concept of hydrogeological settings by which a small-scale landscape can be represented by larger units on the map. For accidental spills, the time available for remedial actions is crucial. Travel times to the saturated zone or to a depth of 5 m are classified in four intervals, ranging from <1 day to > 1 yr. Total particle surface available for retention of pollutants in the unsaturated zone is used as a semi-quantitative indicator of vulnerability in a long-term perspective. This indicator is classified into four intervals, ranging from <1×10⁶ m²/m² to >25×10⁶ m²/m². The quality of the surfaces is not assessed. However, the absence of an intact soil profile is estimated to result in an increase in vulnerability by one class. Application of the methodology was demonstrated in an area south of Stockholm, Sweden. The digital geological map was processed using GIS to delineate four defined hydrogeological settings and vulnerability classes. Compared with an existing vulnerability map based on stratigraphic zoning, the hydrogeological settings allow a site to be interpreted in its hydrogeological context, and the use of quantitative vulnerability indicators increase the usefulness in practical planning and management. Received, June 1997 · Revised, February 1998 · Accepted, April 1998     

Assessing groundwater storage in the Kairouan plain aquifer using a 3D lithology model (Central Tunisia)

The aquifer of the semi-arid Kairouan plain has been exploited for decades to supply the growing irrigated agriculture and the need of drinking water. In parallel, the major hydraulic works drastically changed the natural groundwater recharge processes. The continuous groundwater level drop observed since the 1970s naturally raises the question of groundwater storage sustainability. To date, hydrogeological studies focused on groundwater fluxes, but the total amount of groundwater stored in the aquifer system has never been fully estimated. This is the purpose of the present paper. A complete database of all available geological, hydrogeological and geophysical data was created to build a 3D lithology model. Then, the lithological units were combined with the hydraulic properties to estimate the groundwater storage. Over the 700 km² of the modelled area, the estimated storage in 2013 was around 18?×?10⁹ m³ (equivalent to 80 times the annual consumption of 2010) with a highly variable spatial distribution. In 45 years (1968–2013), 12% of the amount of groundwater stored in the aquifer has been depleted. According to these results, individual farms will face strong regional disparities for their access to groundwater in the near future.     

Hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical characterization of a karstic mountain region

Karstic limestone formations in the Mediterranean basin are potential water resources that can meet a significant portion of groundwater demand. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly study the hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry of karstic mountain regions. This paper presents a detailed hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical characterization of the Nif Mountain karstic aquifer system in western Turkey, an important recharge source for the densely populated surrounding area. Based on the geological and hydrogeological studies, four major aquifers were identified in the study area including the allochthonous limestone in Bornova flysch, conglomerate-sandstone and clayey-limestone in Neogene series, and the Quaternary alluvium. Physicochemical characteristics of groundwater were measured in situ, and samples were collected at 59 locations comprised of springs and wells. Samples were analyzed for major ions, isotopic composition, arsenic, boron and heavy metals among other trace elements. It was found that the hydrogeological structure is complex with many springs having a wide range of discharge rates. High-discharge springs originate from allochthonous limestone units, whereas low-discharge springs are formed at the contacts with claystone and limestone units. Using stable isotope analysis data, a δ¹⁸O-deuterium relationship was obtained that lies between the Mediterranean meteoric and mean global lines. Tritium analyses showed that low-discharge springs originating from contact zones had longer circulation times compared to the high-discharge karstic springs. Furthermore, hydrogeochemical data revealed that groundwater quality significantly deteriorated as water moved from the mountain to the plains. Heavy metal, arsenic and boron concentrations were generally within drinking-water quality standards with a few exceptions occurring in residential and industrial areas located at the foothills of the mountain. Elevated arsenic concentrations were related to local geologic formations, which are likely to contain oxidized sulfite minerals in claystones. It is concluded that Nif Mountain overall has a significant potential to provide high-quality water with a safe yield of at least 50 million m³/year, which corresponds to about 28% of the mean annual inflow to the Tahtali reservoir, a major water resource for the city of Izmir. An erratum to this article can be found at     

The groundwater resources and sustainable yield of Cheju volcanic island, Korea

 Hydrogeologic data of 455 water wells comprising geologic logs, water qualities, and aquifer test results are analyzed to determine hydrogeological characteristics, water quality, and sustainable yield of the groundwater resources of Cheju volcanic island. The groundwater of the island occurs in unconsolidated pyroclastic deposits and clinkers interbedded in highly jointed basaltic and andesitic rocks as high-level, basal, and parabasal groundwater under unconfined conditions. The total storage of groundwater is estimated at about 44 billion m³. The average transmissivity and specific yield of the aquifer are at about 0.34 m² s^–1(29300 m² day^–1) and 0.12, respectively. The average annual precipitation is about 3.39 billion m³, of which 1.49 billion m³– equivalent to 44.0% of the total annual precipitation – is recharged into aquifers, with 0.638 billion m³ year^–1 of runoff and 1.26 billion m³ year^–1 of evapotranspiration. Based on a groundwater budget analysis, the sustainable yield is estimated at about 0.62 billion m³ year^–1, equivalent to 41.6% of annual recharge. A low-permeability marine sedimentary formation (Sehwari formation), composed of loosely cemented sandy silt, was recently found to be situated at 120±68 m below mean sea level. If the said marine sediment is distributed as a basal formation of the freshwater zone of the island, most of its groundwater will be of parabasal type. So the marine sediment is one of the most important hydrogeological boundaries and groundwater occurrences in the area. Received: 16 January 1997 / Accepted: 16 June 1997     

Use of chloride mass balance and tritium data for estimation of groundwater recharge and renewal rate in an unconfined aquifer from North Africa: a case study from Tunisia

The scarcity of surface water resources in arid and semi-arid regions from North African countries contributes to the considerable increase of groundwater exploitation, which leads to the development of hydrogeological studies. However, due to the lack of hydrodynamic data in these regions, these studies focus more and more on the geochemical and environmental isotope techniques to insure a better understanding of the hydrodynamic functioning of subsurface systems. In this study, which interests an important unconfined aquifer in central Tunisia, tritium data and chloride mass balance (CMB) method were applied in order to (1) understand the mode of recharge of this aquifer and (2) obtain a reliable estimation of its recharge amount as well as (3) estimate its annual renewal rate. It has been demonstrated that the shallow groundwaters are classified into two groups according to their tritium contents. The first group includes wells located mainly downstream and highlights the significant role of the post-nuclear lineal recharge through Wadis courses. The second group encloses wells located practically overall the rest of the basin and refers to relatively modern waters originated from areal recharge of present-day rainfall. Based on the CMB method, the recharge to this unconfined aquifer is estimated to 31.7 mm year⁻¹, which corresponds to 10.5% of the total rainfall. The annual renewal rate of groundwater, evaluated based on the tritium contents, is up to 16%.     

87Sr/86Sr ratio: a natural tracer to monitor groundwater flow paths during artificial recharge in the Bangkok area, Thailand

The aquifer system in the Thon Buri sedimentary basin below the deltaic flood plain of the Chao Phraya River, central Thailand, has been exploited for public water supply for the capital Bangkok since the early 1920s. Groundwater withdrawal, currently 1.4 million m³/d, has resulted in a maximum decline in hydraulic head of up to 40 m. This has induced land subsidence of as much as 1.7 m (1940–1992) in the eastern suburbs of the metropolis. Artificial injection of purified water within an area-wide network of recharge wells could constitute a remedy to slow the water level depression within the sedimentary basin, and thus the subsidence. This requires a prior shutdown of water withdrawal. The flow paths of the injected water can be traced by changes in the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of the groundwater and injected water mixture within the three main aquifers in the basin that are used for public supply. The ratios, monitored at five monitoring stations within the cone of depression, have been constant over 3 years. Injection of the calculated cone volume of 5.2?×?10⁹ m³ would take at least 10 years, depending on the injection pressure and the number and position of wells.     

Estimation of groundwater recharge in arid, data scarce regions; an approach as applied in the El Hawashyia basin and Ghazala sub-basin (Gulf of Suez, Egypt)

In this study, an approach for runoff and recharge estimations that can be applied in arid regions which suffer from lack of data is presented. Estimating groundwater recharge in arid regions is an extremely important but difficult task, the main reason is the scarcity of data in arid regions. This is true for the Eastern Egyptian Desert where groundwater is used for irrigation purposes in agricultural reclamation along the Red Sea coast line. As a result of the scarcity of hydrologic information, the relation between rainfall and runoff was calculated depending on the paleo-flood hydrology information. Two models were used to calculate the rainfall–runoff relationships for El Hawashyia basin and Ghazala sub-basin. Two computer programs known as Gerinne (meaning channel in German) and SMADA6 (Stormwater Management and Design Aid, version 6) were conjunctively used for this purpose. As a result of the model applied to El Hawashyia basin, a rainfall event of a total of 18.3 mm with duration 3 h at the station of Hurghada, which has an exceedance probability of 5–10 %, produces a discharge volume of 10.2 × 10⁶ m³ at the delta, outlet of the basin, as 4.7 mm of the rainfall infiltrates (recharge). For the Ghazala sub-basin, the model yields a runoff volume of 3.16 × 10⁶ m³ transferred from a total rainfall of 25 mm over a period of 3 h, as 3.2 mm of it was lost as infiltration.     

The fluvial geochemistry, contributions of silicate, carbonate and saline-alkaline components to chemical weathering flux and controlling parameters: Narmada River (Deccan Traps), India

The Narmada River in India is the largest west-flowing river into the Arabian Sea, draining through the Deccan Traps, one of the largest flood basalt provinces in the world. The fluvial geochemical characteristics and chemical weathering rates (CWR) for the mainstream and its major tributaries were determined using a composite dataset, which includes four phases of seasonal field (spot) samples (during 2003 and 2004) and a decade-long (1990-2000) fortnight time series (multiannual) data. Here, we demonstrate the influence of minor lithologies (carbonates and saline-alkaline soils) on basaltic signature, as reflected in sudden increases of Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺ and Na⁺ contents at many locations along the mainstream and in tributaries. Both spot and multiannual data corrected for non-geological contributions were used to calculate the CWR. The CWR for spot samples (CWR_spot) vary between 25 and 63 ton km⁻² year⁻¹, showing a reasonable correspondence with the CWR estimated for multiannual data (CWR_multi) at most study locations. The weathering rates of silicate (SilWR), carbonate (CarbWR) and evaporite (Sal-AlkWR) have contributed ∼38-58, 28-45 and 8-23%, respectively to the CWR_spot at different locations. The estimated SilWR (11-36 ton km⁻² year⁻¹) for the Narmada basin indicates that the previous studies on the North Deccan Rivers (Narmada-Tapti-Godavari) overestimated the silicate weathering rates and associated CO₂ consumption rates. The average annual CO₂ drawdown via silicate weathering calculated for the Narmada basin is ∼0.032 × 10¹² moles year⁻¹, suggesting that chemical weathering of the entire Deccan Trap basalts consumes approximately 2% (∼0.24 × 10¹² moles) of the annual global CO₂ drawdown. The present study also evaluates the influence of meteorological parameters (runoff and temperature) and physical weathering rates (PWR) in controlling the CWR at annual scale across the basin. The CWR and the SilWR show significant correlation with runoff and PWR. On the basis of observed wide temporal variations in the CWR and their close association with runoff, temperature and physical erosion, we propose that the CWR in the Narmada basin strongly depend on meteorological variability. At most locations, the total denudation rates (TDR) are dominated by physical erosion, whereas chemical weathering constitutes only a small part (<10%). Thus, the CWR to PWR ratio for the Narmada basin can be compared with high relief small river watersheds of Taiwan and New Zealand (1-5%) and large Himalayan Rivers such as the Brahmaputra and the Ganges (8-9%).     

Identification and comparison of perennial yield estimation models using Mt. Amiata Aquifer (southern Tuscany,Italy) as an example

With the principal aim of identifying and comparing suitable evaluation and forecasting models of perennial yield, detailed hydrogeological research was conducted on the cold phreatic aquifer located in the volcanites of Mount Amiata, southern Tuscany's most important water reservoir. The study was based on spring discharge, precipitation, and temperature data. It permitted the identification of the following models: (1) ratios between discharge values measured at the springs, (2) depletion urve analysis of the springs, (3) multiple regression with climatic data, and (4) water balance, coefficients of potential infiltration and runoff coefficients derived on a physiographic basis. Analysis of the results obtained using these models shows their excellent ability to forecast in the medium and long term; for short-term (yearly) forecasts, highly satisfactory results have been obtained for most of the methods used. With regard to Mt. Amiata's average perennial yield, it is estimated at 55×10⁶ m³/yr (the maximum deviation among the various evaluations performed varies from 4 to 8 percent), and it presents a decreasing trend, which is proportional to the reduction of local precipitation.     

Aquifer Storage Recovery (ASR) of chlorinated municipal drinking water in a confined aquifer

About 1.02 × 10⁶ m³ of chlorinated municipal drinking water was injected into a confined aquifer, 94–137 m below Roseville, California, between December 2005 and April 2006. The water was stored in the aquifer for 438 days, and 2.64 × 10⁶ m³ of water were extracted between July 2007 and February 2008. On the basis of Cl⁻ data, 35% of the injected water was recovered and 65% of the injected water and associated disinfection by-products (DBPs) remained in the aquifer at the end of extraction. About 46.3 kg of total trihalomethanes (TTHM) entered the aquifer with the injected water and 37.6 kg of TTHM were extracted. As much as 44 kg of TTHMs remained in the aquifer at the end of extraction because of incomplete recovery of injected water and formation of THMs within the aquifer by reactions with free-chlorine in the injected water. Well-bore velocity log data collected from the Aquifer Storage Recovery (ASR) well show as much as 60% of the injected water entered the aquifer through a 9 m thick, high-permeability layer within the confined aquifer near the top of the screened interval. Model simulations of ground-water flow near the ASR well indicate that (1) aquifer heterogeneity allowed injected water to move rapidly through the aquifer to nearby monitoring wells, (2) aquifer heterogeneity caused injected water to move further than expected assuming uniform aquifer properties, and (3) physical clogging of high-permeability layers is the probable cause for the observed change in the distribution of borehole flow. Aquifer heterogeneity also enhanced mixing of native anoxic ground water with oxic injected water, promoting removal of THMs primarily through sorption. A 3 to 4-fold reduction in TTHM concentrations was observed in the furthest monitoring well 427 m downgradient from the ASR well, and similar magnitude reductions were observed in depth-dependent water samples collected from the upper part of the screened interval in the ASR well near the end of the extraction phase. Haloacetic acids (HAAs) were completely sorbed or degraded within 10 months of injection.     

Ionic exchange in groundwater hydrochemical evolution. Study case: the drainage basin of El Pescado creek (Buenos Aires province,Argentina)

The phreatic aquifer beneath the Pampean plain, in eastern central Argentina, constitutes a relevant source of water supply in the area. The objective of this work was to assess the significance of the cation exchange processes in the hydrochemical evolution of this aquifer, based on a study case located in the middle and upper basin of the El Pescado creek. Results indicate that Ca²⁺/Na⁺ exchange is the main process determining the evolution of groundwater from the recharge areas (Ca–HCO₃) towards the local discharge areas (Na–HCO₃), as well as representing a source of Na⁺ contribution to the water in the aquifer. This hydrochemical characteristic is central to the identification of local discharge areas within a plain environment which extends regionally. The ion exchange capacity of these discharge areas has environmental importance, due to its influence on groundwater quality and potential groundwater uses. These results may be applied to any aquifer sharing similar hydrogeological characteristics.     

Water losses from the Ričice reservoir built in the Dinaric karst

The Ričice reservoir was built in 1987 in the central part of the bare Dinaric karst region in Croatia, on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The reservoir water level rise rapidly after rainfall, but due to high water-loss rates the water remains impounded for a very short time. The reservoir volume at the spillway altitude is 18.4 × 10⁶ m³. Due to water losses, the mean annual water volume in the 1989–1995 period was 6.5 × 10⁶ m³. Interdisciplinary analyses and investigations of geological, hydrological and hydrogeological factors which caused water losses from the Ričice reservoir have been carried out. Water losses from the reservoir are defined using a water budget equation. An assessment of the calculation of hydraulic conductivity, and a definition of the groundwater level below the Ričice reservoir, using Darcy's equation for vertical flow, is carried out. It may be concluded that the water losses from the Ričice reservoir are mainly controlled by the water level in the reservoir.     

Modeling of groundwater flow for Mujib aquifer, Jordan

Jordan is an arid country with very limited water resources. Groundwater is the main source for its water supply. Mujib aquifer is located in the central part of Jordan and is a major source of drinking water for Amman, Madaba and Karak cities. High abstraction rates from Mujib aquifer during the previous years lead to a major decline in water levels and deterioration in groundwater quality. Therefore, proper groundwater management of Mujib aquifer is necessary; and groundwater flow modeling is essential for proper management. For this purpose, Modflow was used to build a groundwater flow model to simulate the behavior of the flow system under different stresses. The model was calibrated for steady state condition by matching observed and simulated initial head counter lines. Drawdown data for the period 1985–1995 were used to calibrate the transient model by matching simulated drawdown with the observed one. Then, the transient model was validated by using drawdown data for the period 1996–2002. The results of the calibrated model showed that the horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the B2/A7 aquifer ranges between 0.001 and 40m/d. Calibrated specific yield ranges from 0.0001 to 0.15. The water balance for the steady state condition of Mujib aquifer indicated that the total annual direct recharge is 20.4 × 10⁶m³, the total annual inflow is 13.0 × 10⁶ m³, springs discharge is 15.3 × 10⁶ m³, and total annual outflow is 18.7 × 10⁶ m³. Different scenarios were considered to predict aquifer system response under different conditions. The results of the sensitivity analysis show that the model is highly sensitive to horizontal hydraulic conductivity and anisotropy and with lower level to the recharge rates. Also the model is sensitive to specific yield     

Regional and economic geology of Pennsylvanian age coal beds of West Virginia

West Virginia is the only place in the United States where an entire section of Pennsylvanian age (Upper Carboniferous) strata can be seen. These strata occur within a wedge of rock that thins to the north and west from the southeastern part of the State. The progressive north-northwesterly termination of older Pennsylvanian geologic units beneath younger ones prominently outlines the center of the Appalachian basin of West Virginia. Over most of West Virginia, Lower and/or Middle Pennsylvanian strata unconformably overly Upper Mississippian (Lower Carboniferous) strata. Sediment deposition was accomplished by a complex system of deltas prograding north and west from an eastern and southeastern source area.More than 100 named coal beds occur within the Lower, Middle, and Upper Pennsylvanian rocks of West Virginia and at least 60 of these have been or are currently being mined commercially. Collectively, these coal beds account for original in-ground coal resources of almost 106.1×10⁹ t (117×10⁹ tons). West Virginia ranks fourth in the United States in demonstrated coal reserves. In 1988, West Virginia produced 131.4×10⁶ t (144.9×10⁶ T) of coal, third highest in the United States. Of this annual production, 75% was from underground mines. In 1988, West Virginia led the nation in the number of longwall mining sections currently in place. West Virginia's low-volatile coal beds are known worldwide as important metallurgical-grade coals, while the higher-volatile coal beds are utilized primarily for steam production.     

Groundwater balance in the Khor Arbaat basin, Red Sea State, eastern Sudan

The Khor Arbaat basin is the main source of potable water supply for the more than 750,000 inhabitants of Port Sudan, eastern Sudan. The variation in hydraulic conductivity and storage capacity is due to the heterogeneity of the sediments, which range from clay and silt to gravely sand and boulders. The water table rises during the summer and winter rainy seasons; it reaches its lowest level in the dry season. The storage capacity of the Khor Arbaat aquifer is estimated to be 21.75?×?10⁶ m³. The annual recharge through the infiltration of flood water is about 1.93?×?10⁶ m³. The groundwater recharge, calculated as underground inflow at the ‘upper gate’, is 1.33?×?10⁵ m³/year. The total annual groundwater recharge is 2.06?×?10⁶ m³. The annual discharge through underground outflow at the ‘lower gate’ (through which groundwater flows onto the coastal plain) is 3.29?×?10⁵ m³/year. Groundwater discharge due to pumping from Khor Arbaat basin is 4.38?×?10⁶ m³/year on average. The total annual groundwater discharge is about 4.7?×?10⁶ m³. A deficit of 2.6?×?10⁶ m³/year is calculated. Although the total annual discharge is twice the estimated annual recharge, additional groundwater flow from the fractured basement probably balances the annual groundwater budget since no decline is observed in the piezometric levels.     

Chemical erosion in the eastern Himalaya: Major ion composition of the Brahmaputra and δC of dissolved inorganic carbon

Major ion composition of waters, δ¹³C of its DIC (dissolved inorganic carbon), and the clay mineral composition of bank sediments in the Brahmaputra River System (draining India and Bangladesh) have been measured to understand chemical weathering and erosion and the factors controlling these processes in the eastern Himalaya. The time-series samples, collected biweekly at Guwahati, from the Brahmaputra mainstream, were also analyzed for the major ion composition. Clay mineralogy and chemical index of alteration (CIA) of sediments suggest that weathering intensity is relatively poor in comparison to that in the Ganga basin. This is attributed to higher runoff and associated physical erosion occurring in the Brahmaputra basin. The results of this study show, for the first time, spatial and temporal variations in chemical and silicate erosion rates in the Brahmaputra basin. The subbasins of the Brahmaputra watershed exhibit chemical erosion rates varying by about an order of magnitude. The Eastern Syntaxis basin dominates the erosion with a rate of ∼300 t km⁻² y⁻¹, one of the highest among the world river basins and comparable to those reported for some of the basaltic terrains. In contrast, the flat, cold, and relatively more arid Tibetan basin undergoes much slower chemical erosion (∼40 t km⁻² y⁻¹). The abundance of total dissolved solids (TDS, 102-203 mg/L) in the time-series samples collected over a period of one year shows variations in accordance with the annual discharge, except one of them, cause for which is attributable to flash floods. Na* (Na corrected for cyclic component) shows a strong positive correlation with Si, indicating their common source: silicate weathering. Estimates of silicate cations (Na_sil+K_sil+Ca_sil+Mg_sil) suggest that about half of the dissolved cations in the Brahmaputra are derived from silicates, a proportion higher than that for the Ganga system. The CO₂ consumption rate due to silicate weathering in the Brahmaputra watershed is ∼6 × 10⁵ moles km⁻² y⁻¹; whereas that in the Eastern Syntaxis subbasin is ∼19 × 10⁵ moles km⁻² y⁻¹, similar to the estimates for some of the basaltic terrains. This study suggests that the Eastern Syntaxis basin of the Brahmaputra is one of most intensely chemically eroding regions of the globe; and that runoff and physical erosion are the controlling factors of chemical erosion in the eastern Himalaya.