Groundwater circulation in the Ejina Plain: Insights from hydrochemical and environmental isotope studies

doi:10.13745/j.esf.sf.2023.2.44

Abstract

Abstract:

The Ejina Plain has a fragile ecoenvironment and groundwater plays an important role in maintaining an ecological balance in the region. However, an in-depth understanding of groundwater circulation in the Ejina Plain is lacking due to limited knowledge of groundwater circulation in eco-hydrologically important sections. In this study, the characteristics of groundwater circulation at key aquatic interfaces are investigated through hydrochemical and environmental isotopic analyses, and the regional groundwater circulation patterns are revealed. In the desert area rainfall is strongly affected by evaporation during groundwater recharge via infiltration, while in the central part of the study area rainfall only contributes weakly to groundwater recharge. The Cretaceous phreatic water system in the northern Ejina Plain is recharged by lateral runoff flowing from north to south, and intersects the southern Quaternary groundwater system in the eastern and western Juyanhai areas; whereas stagnant Cretaceous confined water runoff has limited interaction with the overlying phreatic water system. In the central part of the plain groundwater is recharged by seepage from the Heihe River over an effective area of 30-50 m deep and 10 km wide, and groundwater recharge drives slow surface runoff on both sides of the river to flow to the Gurinai-Swan Lake district, where it meets the desert groundwater system in the east; the Heihe River has no impact on groundwater recharge/discharge in the desert area. This study deepens our understanding of groundwater circulation in the Ejina Plain and helps to guide local ecological environmental protection and restoration as well as rational development and utilization of groundwater.

Key words: groundwater circulation, hydrochemistry, environmental isotopes, Ejina Plain

CLC Number:

XU Rongzhen, WEI Shibo, LI Chengye, CHENG Xuxue, ZHOU Xiangyu. Groundwater circulation in the Ejina Plain: Insights from hydrochemical and environmental isotope studies[J]. Earth Science Frontiers, 2023, 30(4): 440-450.

Figures/Tables 16

Fig.1 Location of the study area and distribution of sampling points

Fig.2 Stratigraphic framework of the study area. Adapted from [16].

Fig.3 Spatial distribution of deuterium excess values of phreatic water in the study area

Fig.4 Relationship between groundwater deuterium excess value and burial depth in the lacustrine plain area, southeastern Ejina Plain

Fig.5 Relationships between δD and δ18O of surface water and groundwater in the Ejina Plain

Fig.6 Spatial distribution of γCl-/γCa2+ ratios for Quaternary phreatic water in the Ejina Plain

Fig.7 Spatial distribution of γCl-/γCa2+ ratios for Quaternary confined water in the Ejina Plain

Fig.8 A cross-section of the Ceke-Juyanhai area

Fig.9 Plots of δ18O and d vs. depth for Cretaceous groundwater samples from the Ceke-Juyanhai cross-section

Fig.10 Relationship between Cl- and δ18O of groundwater in the Gurinai oasis-desert transition zone

Fig.11 Vertical variations of TDS and γCl-/γCa2+ ratio in groundwater in the Gurinai oasis-desert transition zone

Fig.12 Vertical variability of hydrochemical composition under single-aquifer condition

Fig.13 Vertical variability of hydrochemical composition under multi-aquifer condition

Fig.14 Vertical variation of 3H content under multi-aquifer condition

Fig.15 Relationship between δD and δ18O of surface water and groundwater along the Heihe River

Fig.16 Groundwater circulation pattern in the Ejina Plain. Modified after [16].

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