Environmental isotopic study on the recharge and residence time of groundwater in the Heihe River Basin, northwestern China

The recharge and origin of groundwater and its residence time were studied using environmental isotopic measurements in samples from the Heihe River Basin, China. δ¹⁸O and δD values of both river water and groundwater were within the same ranges as those found in the alluvial fan zone, and lay slightly above the local meteoric water line (δD=6.87δ¹⁸O+3.54). This finding indicated that mountain rivers substantially and rapidly contribute to the water resources in the southern and northern sub-basins. δ¹⁸O and δD values of groundwater in the unconfined aquifers of these sub-basins were close to each other. There was evidence of enrichment of heavy isotopes in groundwater due to evaporation. The most pronounced increase in the δ¹⁸O value occurred in agricultural areas, reflecting the admixture of irrigation return flow. Tritium results in groundwater samples from the unconfined aquifers gave evidence for ongoing recharge, with mean residence times of: less than 36 years in the alluvial fan zone; about 12–16 years in agricultural areas; and about 26 years in the Ejina oasis. In contrast, groundwater in the confined aquifers had ¹⁴C ages between 0 and 10 ka BP.