Environmental significance and hydrochemical processes at a cold alpine basin in the Qilian Mountains

Isotope geochemistry of precipitation, river water, well water and spring water in the Babao River basin, China, during different seasons showed that regional runoff was dominated by precipitation in summer and autumn and by underground water in winter and spring. The δ¹⁸O and δD values of precipita...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental earth sciences 2015-04, Vol.73 (8), p.4043-4052
Main Authors: Li, Zongxing, Qi, Feng, Li, Jianguo, Pan, Yanhui, Wang, Tingting, Li, Liu, Xiaoyan, Guo, Yan, Gao, Bing, Jia, Rui, Guo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Altitude
autumn
Biogeosciences
Chemistry
cold
Dry season
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Environmental Science and Engineering
Evaporation
Geochemistry
Geology
hydrograph
Hydrology
Hydrology/Water Resources
Isotopes
Mountains
Original Article
rain
Rainy season
River basins
river water
Rivers
runoff
Seasons
Spatial distribution
Spring
Spring water
Stable isotopes
statistical models
Summer
Terrestrial Pollution
watersheds
Well water
Winter
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Summary:Isotope geochemistry of precipitation, river water, well water and spring water in the Babao River basin, China, during different seasons showed that regional runoff was dominated by precipitation in summer and autumn and by underground water in winter and spring. The δ¹⁸O and δD values of precipitation and spring water displayed a clear altitude effect. Water from the main stream and tributaries displayed a converse altitude effect in the summer-wet season. The isotopic composition of the various water sources was not well correlated with elevation during the winter-dry season. The spatial distribution of the stable isotope signals of river water demonstrated the influence of rainfall inputs, evaporation and variable flow. An end-member mixing model used for hydrograph separation indicated that in the summer-wet season, the Babao River water was recharged by precipitation (71.9 %), spring water (11.7 %) and well water (16.4 %), whereas the winter-dry season recharge was sourced from spring water (28.2 %) and well water (71.8 %).
ISSN:1866-6280
1866-6299
DOI:10.1007/s12665-014-3689-4