Impacts of land use changes on groundwater resources in the Heihe River Basin

Land use and land cover changes have a great impact on the regional hydrological process. Based on three periods of remote sensing data from the 1960s and the long-term observed data of groundwater from the 1980s, the impacts of land use changes on the groundwater system in the middle reach of Heihe River Basin in recent three decades are analyzed by the perspective of groundwater recharge and discharge system. The results indicate that with the different intensities of land use changes, the impacts on the groundwater recharge were 2.602×108 m3/a in the former 15 years (1969-1985) and 0.218×108 m3/a in the latter 15 years (1986-2000), and the impacts on the groundwater discharge were 2.035×108 m3/a and 4.91×108 m3/a respectively. When the groundwater exploitation was in a reasonable range less than 3.0×108 m3/a, the land use changes could control the changes of regional groundwater resources. Influenced by the land use changes and the large-scale exploitation in the recent decade, the groundwater resources present apparently regional differences in Zhangye region. Realizing the impact of land use changes on groundwater system and the characteristics of spatial-temporal variations of regional groundwater resources would be very important for reasonably utilizing and managing water and soil resources.     

Fractionation mechanism of stable isotope in evaporating water body

Under Rayleigh equilibrium condition, stable isotopic ratio in residual water increases with the decrease of the residual water proportion f exponentially, and the fractionation rate of stable isotopes is inversely proportional to temperature. However, under kinetic evaporation condition, the fractionation of stable isotopes is not only related to the phase temperature but also influenced by the atmospheric humidity and the mass exchange between liquid and vapor phases. The ratio δ in residual water will not change with f after undergoing evaporation of a long time for great relative humidity. The rate that the evaporating water body reaches isotopic steady state is mainly dependent on the relative humidity in atmosphere. The analysis shows that the actual mean linear variety rates, about -30.0, of the δ18O in residual water versus the residual water proportion at Nagqu and Amdo stations are consistent with the simulated process under temperature of 20 oC and relative humidity of 50%. The distillation line simulated under Rayleigh equilibrium condition is analogous to the global meteoric water line (MWL) as the temperature is about 20 oC. Under non-equilibrium condition, the slope and constant values of distillation line are directly proportional to temperature and relative humidity. According to the basic data, the simulated distillation line is very consistent with the actual distillation line of Qinghai Lake.     

Groundwater flow regime under natural conditions as inferred from past evidence and contemporary field observations in a semi-arid basin: Cuenca de la Independencia, Guanajuato, México

This study was carried out in the Cuenca de la Independencia, a semi-arid basin in Central Mexico. The objective is to describe the main features of a groundwater flow regime under natural conditions, based on groundwater discharge manifestations. Information obtained from paleoecological, paleontological, archaeological and historical data suggests that, prior to heavy development (starting in the 1950s), the hydrogeologic regime was characterized by a larger groundwater availability in a more humid and colder climate. Manifestations associated to groundwater discharges are springs, lagoons, wetlands, saline soils, chalcedony deposits, phreatophytes, thermalism, and artesianism. The different types of manifestations and their position in the basin indicate the influence of groundwater flow systems hierarchically nested, forming concentric zones at ground level. The groundwater flow regime corresponds to a classical gravity-induced flow system with generation of local, intermediate and regional patterns. Integrating several types of data to establish the flow geometry and its dynamics has proven a useful tool to increase understanding of the original groundwater regimes. This approach can also be applied in other over-exploited semi-arid basins.     

Hydrothermal Quartz Vein Formation, Revealed by Coupled SEM-CL Imaging and Fluid Inclusion Microthermometry: Shuteen Complex, South Gobi, Mongolia

Abstract. Scanning electron microscopy-cathodoluminescence (SEM-CL) imaging of vein quartz in the Cu-mineralised, Shuteen Complex (South Gobi, Mongolia) has revealed a complex history of crystal growth, dissolution and microfracture healing, associated with several hydrothermal events that could not be detected using other observational techniques (e.g. transmitted/reflected light microscopy, back-scattered electron imaging, or secondary electron imaging).
The quartz initially grew as CL-bright/grey crystals in a 345±30C liquid reservoir, as inferred by the analysis of primary liquid fluid inclusions (average Th of 343C; 6.6∼7.7 wt% NaCl_eq). Quartz precipitation occurred at the edge of the crystals as reservoir fluids cooled to 260±25C, as indicated by micron-scale CL-dark/CL-bright quartz growth bands containing abundant fluid inclusions (with an average T_h values of 261C). Pressure fluctuations were the likely cause of dissolution, as SEM-CL imaging reveals the quartz have corroded or rounded crystal edges, and precipitation of later quartz into open space. SEM-CL imaging shows the quartz contains healed microfractures that trapped low salinity fluids (3.9 wt% NaC1_eq) with Th values of 173±15C.
SEM-CL imaging provides a means of deciphering the thermal and chemical evolution of the fossil Shuteen hydrothermal system, and the nature of hydrothermal quartz vein-forming processes, by facilitating the correlation of distinct fluid inclusion populations and their relative chronology, with specific hydrothermal events.     

Evolution of Hydrothermal System at the Dizon Porphyry Cu-Au Deposit, Zambales, Philippines

Abstract. Evolution of hydrothermal system from initial porphyry Cu mineralization to overlapping epithermal system at the Dizon porphyry Cu‐Au deposit in western central Luzon, Zambales, Philippines, is documented in terms of mineral paragen‐esis, fluid inclusion petrography and microthermometry, and sulfur isotope systematics. The paragenetic stages throughout the deposit are summarized as follows; 1) stockwork amethystic quartz veinlets associated with chalcopyrite, bornite, magnetite and Au enveloped by chlorite alteration overprinting biotite alteration, 2) stockwork quartz veinlets with chalcopyrite and pyrite associated with Au and chalcopyrite and pyrite stringers in sericite alteration, 3) stringer quartz veinlets associated with molybdenite in sericite alteration, and 4) WNW‐trending quartz veins associated with sphalerite and galena at deeper part, while enargite and stibnite at shallower levels associated with advanced argillic alteration. Chalcopyrite and bornite associated with magnetite in quartz veinlet stockwork (stage 1) have precipitated initially as intermediate solid solution (iss) and bornite solid solution (bnss), respectively. Fluid inclusions in the stockwork veinlet quartz consist of gas‐rich inclusions and polyphase inclusions. Halite in polyphase inclusions dissolves at temperatures ranging from 360d?C to >500d?C but liquid (brine) and gas (vapor) do not homogenize at <500d?C. The maximum pressure and minimum temperature during the deposition of iss and bnss with stockwork quartz veinlets are estimated to be 460 bars and 500d?C. Fluid inclusions in veinlet stockwork quartz enveloped in sericite alteration (stage 2) consist mainly of gas‐rich inclusions and polyphase inclusions. In addition to the possible presence of saturated NaCl crystals at the time of entrapment of fluid inclusions that exhibit the liquid‐vapor homogenization temperatures lower than the halite dissolution temperatures in some samples, wide range of temperatures of halite dissolution and liquid‐vapor homogenization of polyphase inclusions from 230d?C to >500d?C and from 270d?C to >500d?C, respectively, suggests heterogeneous entrapment of gaseous vapor and hypersaline brine. The minimum pressure and temperature are estimated to be about 25 bars and 245d?C. Fluid inclusions in veinlet quartz associated with molybdenite (stage 3) are dominated by gas‐rich inclusions accompanied with minor liquid‐rich inclusions that homogenize at temperatures between 350d?C and 490d?C. Fluid inclusions in vuggy veinlet quartz associated with stibnite (stage 4) consist mainly of gas‐rich inclusions with subordinate polyphase inclusions that do not homogenize below 500d?C. Fluid inclusions in veinlet quartz associated with galena and sphalerite (stage 4) are composed of liquid‐rich two‐phase inclusions, and they homogenize into liquid phase at temperatures ranging widely from 190d?C to 300d?C (suggesting boiling) and the salinity ranges from 1.0 wt% to 3.4 wt% NaCl equivalent. A pressure of about 15 bars is estimated for the dilute aqueous solution of 190d?C from which veinlet quartz associated with galena and sphalerite precipitated. In addition to a change in temperature‐pressure regime from lithostatic pressure during the deposition of iss and bnss with stockwork quartz veinlets to hydrostatic pressure during fracture‐controlled quartz veinlet associated with galena and sphalerite, a decrease in pressure is supposed to have occurred due to unroofing or removal of the overlying piles during the temperature decrease in the evolution of hydrothermal system. The majority of the sulfur isotopic composition of sulfides ranges from ±0 % to +5 %. Sulfur originated from an iso‐topically uniform and homogeneous source, and the mineralization occurred in a single hydrothermal system.     

Chemistry and Sulfur Isotopes in a Chert-dominant Sequence around the Stratiform Manganese Deposit of the Noda-Tamagawa Mine, Northern Kitakami Terrane, Northeast Japan: Implication for Paleoceanographic Environmental Setting

Abstract. Chemistry and sulfur isotopes are analyzed for a series of rocks in the chert‐dominant sequence around the stratiform manganese ore deposit of the Noda‐Tamagawa mine in the northern Kitakami Terrane, northeast Japan. The sequence is litholog‐ically classified into six units in ascending order: lower bedded chert, lower black shale, massive chert, manganese ore, upper black shale, and upper bedded chert. The rocks around the manganese ore deposit exhibit anomalous enrichment in Ni (max. 337 ppm), Zn (102) and U (30) in the upper part of lower bedded chert, Mo (122), Tl (79) and Pb (33) in the lower black shale, MnO, Cu (786) and Co (62) in the manganese ore, and As (247) and Sb (17) in the upper black shale. The aluminum‐normalized profiles reveal zonal enrichment of redox‐sensitive elements around the manganese bed: Zn‐Ni‐Fe‐Mo‐U(‐Co), Tl‐Pb(‐Mo), Mn‐Fe‐Cu‐V‐Cr‐Co(‐Zn) and As‐Sb in ascending order. The uppermost part of the lower bedded chert and black shale exhibit negative Ce/Ce* values, whereas the massive chert, manganese ore and lower part of the upper bedded chert display positive values. The isotopic δ³⁴S values are 0±6 % in the lower part of the lower bedded chert, ‐19 to ‐42 % in the upper part of the lower bedded chert, ‐36 to ‐42 % in the lower black shale, ‐28 to ‐35 % in the massive chert, manganese ore and upper black shale, and ‐23±5 % in the upper bedded chert. Thus, there is a marked negative shift in δ³⁴S values in the lower bedded chert, and an upward‐increasing trend in δ³⁴S through the manganese ore horizon. The present data provide evidence for a change in the paleoceanographic environmental resulting from inflow of oxic deepwater into the stagnant anoxic ocean floor below the manganese ore horizon. This event is likely to have triggered the precipitation of manganese oxyhydroxides. The redistribution of redox‐sensitive elements through the formation of metalliferous black shale and manganese carbonate ore may have occurred in association with bacterial decomposition of organic matter during early diagenesis of initial manganese oxyhydroxides.     

Chemical Profiles across a Jurassic Stratiform Manganese Deposit at Katsuyama in the Mino Terrane of Central Japan: Implications for Depositional Environment, Diagenetic Metal Redistribution and Paleoceanography

Abstract. Inorganic chemical compositions are determined for a series of rocks crossing an Early Jurassic stratiform manganese ore deposit in a chert‐dominant sequence at Katsuyama, in the Mino Terrane of central Japan. The lithology in the vicinity of the manganese ore bed is classified into lower bedded chert, black shale, massive chert, manganese ore and upper bedded chert, in ascending order. The rocks surrounding the manganese deposit are anomalously high in certain elements: Pb (max. 29 ppm), Ni (1140) and Co (336) in the lower bedded chert, Mo (438), As (149), Tl (29) and U (12) in the black shales, V (210) and Cr (87) in the massive chert, and MnO and W (24) in the manganese ore. The aluminum‐normalized profiles reveal a distinct zonation of redox‐sensitive elements: Pb‐Zn, Ni‐Co‐Cu(‐Zn) and U‐Cr in the lower bedded chert, Mo‐As‐Tl in the black shale, V(‐Cr) in the massive chert, and Mn‐Fe‐Ba‐W in the manganese ore, in ascending order. The lower and upper bedded cherts and manganese ore generally exhibit flat rare earth element patterns with positive Ce anomalies, whereas the uppermost part of the lower bedded chert, the black shale and massive chert have flat patterns with weak or nonexistent negative Ce anomalies and weak positive Eu anomalies. The strong enrichment in Ni, Co, W, Tl and As detected in the Katsuyama section is not recognized in other sediments, including those of anoxic deposition origin, but is identified in modern ferromanganese nodules, suggesting that metal enrichment in the Katsuyama section is essentially due to the formation of ferromanganese nodules rather than to deposition in an anoxic environment. The observed elemental zonation is well explained by equilibrium calculations, reflecting early diagenetic formation and associated gradual reduction with depth. The concentration profiles in combination with litho‐ and biostratigraphical features suggest that formation of these bedded manganese deposits was triggered by an influx of warm, saline and oxic water into a stagnant deep ocean floor basin in Panthalassa at the end of the middle Early Jurassic. Paleoceanographic environmental controls thus appear to be important factors in the formation and preservation of this type of stratiform manganese deposit.     

A statistical procedure for the analysis of seismotectonically induced hydrochemical signals: A case study from the Eastern Carpathians, Romania

Changes in the stress field of an aquifer system induced by seismotectonic activity may change the mixing ratio of groundwaters with different compositions in a well, leading to hydrochemical signals which in principle could be related to discrete earthquake events. Due to the complexity of the interactions and the multitude of involved factors the identification of such relationships is a difficult task. In this study we present an empiric statistical approach suitable to analyse if there is an interdependency between changes in the chemical composition of monitoring wells and the regional seismotectonic activity of a considered area. To allow a rigorous comparison with hydrochemistry the regional earthquake time series was aggregated into an univariate time series. This was realized by expressing each earthquake in form of a parameter “e”, taking into consideration both energetic (magnitude of a seismic event) and spatial parameters (position of epi/hypocentrum relative to the monitoring site). The earthquake and the hydrochemical time-series were synchronised aggregating the e-parameters into “earthquake activity” functions E, which takes into account the time of sampling relative to the earthquakes which occurred in the considered area. For the definition of the aggregation functions a variety of different “e” parameters were considered. The set of earthquake functions E was grouped by means of factor analysis to select a limited number of significant and representative earthquake functions E to be used further on in the relation analysis with the multivariate hydrochemical data set. From the hydrochemical data a restricted number of hydrochemical factors were extracted. Factor scores allow to represent and analyse the variation of the hydrochemical factors as a function of time. Finally, regression analysis was used to detect those hydrochemical factors which significantly correlate with the aggregated earthquake functions.This methodological approach was tested with a hydrochemical data set collected from a deep well monitored for two years in the seismically active Vrancea region, Romania. Three of the hydrochemical factors were found to correlate significantly with the considered earthquake activities. A screening with different time combinations revealed that correlations are strongest when the cumulative seismicity over several weeks was considered. The case study also showed that the character of the interdependency depends sometimes on the geometrical distribution of the earthquake foci. By using aggregated earthquake information it was possible to detect interrelationships which couldn't have been identified by analysing only relations between single geochemical signals and single earthquake events. Further on, the approach allows to determine the influence of different seismotectonic patterns on the hydrochemical composition of the sampled well. The method is suitable to be used as a decision instrument in assessing if a monitoring site is suitable or not to be included in a monitoring net within a complex earthquake prediction strategy.     

Identifying sources of groundwater recharge in the Merguellil basin (Tunisia) using isotopic methods: implication of dam reservoir water accounting

Thirty-two groundwater samples collected from the Merguellil Wadi basin (central Tunisia) complemented by the Haouareb dam reservoir water samples have been isotopically analysed in order to investigate the implication of the reservoir water to recharging the aquifer, and also to infer the sources, relative ages and mixing processes in the aquifer system. Plots of the stable isotopes data against the local meteoric lines of Tunis-Carthage and Sfax indicate a strong implication of the dam water noticeable up to a distance of 6–7 km. A contribution as much as 80% of the pumped water has been evidenced using isotopic mass balance. In addition, poorly distinguished water clusters in the stable isotope plots, but clearly identified in the diagrams δ¹⁸O versus ³H and ³H versus ¹⁴C, indicate various water types related to sources and timing of recharge. The isotopic signatures of the dam accounting water, the “old” and “native” recharged waters, have been evidenced in relation to their geographical distribution and also to their radiogenic isotopes (³H and ¹⁴C) contents. In the south-western part of the aquifer, mixing process occurs between the dam reservoir water and both the “old” and “native” water components.     

Determination of groundwater availability in shallow arid region aquifers utilizing GIS technology: a case study in Hada Al-Sham, Western Saudi Arabia

A simple, physically based method is developed in this paper to assist in the allocation of areas with high groundwater potential and for the determination of maximum allowed pumping rate to ensure proper groundwater management. This method utilizes the aquifer physical properties as well as GIS technology to accomplish this purpose. The design of this method was considered to be applicable in areas with little data, such as in most arid regions. This technique was applied to a catchment in an arid environment where qualitative as well as quantitative analyses of the results were undertaken. Locations of available groundwater and rates of maximum allowable pumping were compared with observations and experiments in the field and a good agreement was found. It was concluded that the best groundwater location was in the alluvial area, which represents only 16% of the total aquifer, which is a typical case in arid region catchments. The rate of maximum pumping was estimated to be 65 m³/h. However, to benefit 55% of the area, the maximum pumping rate should only be 40 m³/h with an average rate throughout the area (55%) of about 24 m³/h.This revised version was published online in December 2004 with corrections to the category.