Application of geochemical and stable isotopic tracers to investigate groundwater salinity in the Ochi-Narkwa Basin, Ghana

Rainwater, groundwater and soil-water samples were analysed to assess groundwater geochemistry and the origin of salinity in the Ochi-Narkwa basin of the Central Region of Ghana. The samples were measured for major ions and stable isotopes (δ 18 O, δ 2 H and δ 13 C). The Cl − content in rainwater de...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hydrological sciences journal 2017-06, Vol.62 (8), p.1301-1316
Main Authors: Ganyaglo, Samuel Y., Osae, Shiloh, Akiti, Tetteh, Armah, Thomas, Gourcy, Laurence, Vitvar, Tomas, Ito, Mari, Otoo, Isaac A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chemical analysis
Chlorides
Coastal aquifers
Concretions
Crusts
Dissolution
Dissolving
Earth Sciences
Geochemistry
Ghana
Groundwater
Groundwater flow
Groundwater salinity
Halite
Halites
Intrusion
Ions
Isotope composition
Isotopes
Isotopic tracers
Profiles
Rain
Rain water
Saline water intrusion
Salinity
Salinity effects
salinity sources
Salinization
Salts
Sciences of the Universe
Seawater
Seawater intrusion
Silicates
Soil
Soil analysis
Soil water
Soils
Stable isotopes
Sulphates
Tracers
Water analysis
Water sampling
Weathering
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Summary:Rainwater, groundwater and soil-water samples were analysed to assess groundwater geochemistry and the origin of salinity in the Ochi-Narkwa basin of the Central Region of Ghana. The samples were measured for major ions and stable isotopes (δ 18 O, δ 2 H and δ 13 C). The Cl − content in rainwater decreased with distance from the coast. The major hydrochemical facies were Na-Cl for the shallow groundwaters and Ca-Mg-HCO 3 , Na-Cl and Ca-Mg-Cl-SO 4 for the deep groundwaters. Groundwater salinization is caused largely by halite dissolution and to a minor extent by silicate weathering and seawater intrusion. Stable isotope composition of the groundwaters followed a slope of 3.44, suggesting a mixing line. Chloride profiles in the soil zone revealed the existence of salt crusts, which support halite dissolution in the study area. A conceptual flow model developed to explain the mechanism of salinization showed principal groundwater flow in the NW-SE direction. EDITOR D. Koutsoyiannis ASSOCIATE EDITOR K. Heal
ISSN:0262-6667
2150-3435
DOI:10.1080/02626667.2017.1322207