Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

A Multidisciplinary Approach for Clarifying the Recharge Processes and Origin of Saline Water in the Semi-Arid Punata Alluvial fan in Bolivia

Gonzales, Andres LU ; Barmen, Gerhard LU and Muñoz, Galo (2018) In Water 10(7).
Abstract
The analysis of stable isotopes assisted in identifying that groundwater in the Punata alluvial fan is mainly recharged by heavy flash floods, and the recharge from rainfall is of less importance. In addition, the hydrochemical analysis identified the Pucara River as the main source of recharge. Other streams in the north and northwest of the fan do not seem to contribute to the recharge. The hydrochemistry also shows that there is an increase of the Na+ and Cl− concentrations in the middle and distal part of the fan. The salinization of groundwater is most likely a result of the mixing of fresh water with residual saline pore water in the lacustrine deposits and/or ion exchange within these layers. Geophysical surveys assisted in... (More)
The analysis of stable isotopes assisted in identifying that groundwater in the Punata alluvial fan is mainly recharged by heavy flash floods, and the recharge from rainfall is of less importance. In addition, the hydrochemical analysis identified the Pucara River as the main source of recharge. Other streams in the north and northwest of the fan do not seem to contribute to the recharge. The hydrochemistry also shows that there is an increase of the Na+ and Cl− concentrations in the middle and distal part of the fan. The salinization of groundwater is most likely a result of the mixing of fresh water with residual saline pore water in the lacustrine deposits and/or ion exchange within these layers. Geophysical surveys assisted in describing the aquifer system layering, and indicated a fine-grained bottom layer where ion exchange might occur. This study demonstrates that the integration of several methods (e.g., hydrochemistry, hydrogeophysics, and stable isotopes) is valuable for clarifying ambiguities during the interpretation process and for characterizing hydrogeological processes in alluvial fans in general. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Hydrogeology, Hydrochemistry, stable isotopes, geophysics, groundwater recharge, Salinization
in
Water
volume
10
issue
7
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85050220727
ISSN
2073-4441
DOI
10.3390/w10070946
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
58ec6d9f-0c90-4f73-941e-fee4143ff354
date added to LUP
2018-08-25 11:13:55
date last changed
2022-04-02 01:36:48
@article{58ec6d9f-0c90-4f73-941e-fee4143ff354,
  abstract     = {{The analysis of stable isotopes assisted in identifying that groundwater in the Punata alluvial fan is mainly recharged by heavy flash floods, and the recharge from rainfall is of less importance. In addition, the hydrochemical analysis identified the Pucara River as the main source of recharge. Other streams in the north and northwest of the fan do not seem to contribute to the recharge. The hydrochemistry also shows that there is an increase of the Na+ and Cl− concentrations in the middle and distal part of the fan. The salinization of groundwater is most likely a result of the mixing of fresh water with residual saline pore water in the lacustrine deposits and/or ion exchange within these layers. Geophysical surveys assisted in describing the aquifer system layering, and indicated a fine-grained bottom layer where ion exchange might occur. This study demonstrates that the integration of several methods (e.g., hydrochemistry, hydrogeophysics, and stable isotopes) is valuable for clarifying ambiguities during the interpretation process and for characterizing hydrogeological processes in alluvial fans in general.}},
  author       = {{Gonzales, Andres and Barmen, Gerhard and Muñoz, Galo}},
  issn         = {{2073-4441}},
  keywords     = {{Hydrogeology; Hydrochemistry; stable isotopes; geophysics; groundwater recharge; Salinization}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{7}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Water}},
  title        = {{A Multidisciplinary Approach for Clarifying the Recharge Processes and Origin of Saline Water in the Semi-Arid Punata Alluvial fan in Bolivia}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w10070946}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/w10070946}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}