Groundwater age dating using multi-environmental tracers (SF6, CFC-11, CFC-12, δ18O, and δD) to investigate groundwater residence times and recharge processes in Northeastern Ghana

Okofo, Louis Boansi; Adonandaga, Melvin-Guy; Martienssen, Marion

doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.127821

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…The regional groundwater δ 18 O and δ 2 H data plots near the LMWL exhibit a lower slope and intercept relative to the LMWL indicating that the source of groundwater recharge is mainly from precipitation that has undergone some degree of evaporation prior to recharge. This is consistent with the signature of groundwater isotopic composition in semiarid regions caused by high temperatures and low relative humidity [11,57]. Research has shown that evaporation of infiltrating water prior to recharge generally exhibits a systematic enrichment of stable isotopes, resulting in a change in the evaporation line relative to the LMWL with a slope of typically 2 to 5 [54].…”

Section: Isotopic Characterization Of the Surface Water And Groundwatersupporting

confidence: 80%

Stable Isotopes and Water Level Monitoring Integrated to Characterize Groundwater Recharge in the Pra Basin, Ghana

Manu,

De Lucia,

Akiti

et al. 2023

Water

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In the Pra Basin of Ghana, groundwater is increasingly becoming the alternative water supply due to the continual pollution of surface water resources through illegal mining and indiscriminate waste discharges into rivers. However, our understanding of hydrogeology and the dynamics of groundwater quality remains inadequate, posing challenges for sustainable water resource management. This study aims to characterize groundwater recharge by determining its origin and mechanism of recharge prior to entering the saturated zone and to provide spatial estimates of groundwater recharge using stable isotopes and water level measurements relevant to groundwater management in the basin. Ninety (90) water samples (surface water and groundwater) were collected to determine stable isotope ratios of oxygen (δ18O) and hydrogen (δ2H) and chloride concentration. In addition, ten boreholes were installed with automatic divers to collect time series data on groundwater levels for the 2022 water year. The Chloride Mass Balance (CMB) and the Water Table Fluctuation (WTF) methods were employed to estimate the total amount and spatial distribution of groundwater recharge for the basin. Analysis of the stable isotope data shows that the surface water samples in the Pra Basin have oxygen (δ18O) and hydrogen (δ2H) isotope ratios ranging from −2.8 to 2.2‰ vrs V-SMOW for δ18O and from −9.4 to 12.8‰ vrs V-SMOW for δ2H, with a mean of −0.9‰ vrs V-SMOW and 0.5‰ vrs V-SMOW, respectively. Measures in groundwater ranges from −3.0 to −1.5‰ vrs V-SMOW for δ18O and from −10.4 to −2.4‰ vrs V-SMOW for δ2H, with a mean of −2.3 and −7.0‰ vrs V-SMOW, respectively. The water in the Pra Basin originates from meteoric source. Groundwater has a relatively depleted isotopic signature compared to surface water due to the short residence time of infiltration within the extinction depth of evaporation in the vadose zone. Estimated evaporative losses in the catchment range from 51 to 77%, with a mean of 62% for surface water and from 55 to 61% with a mean of 57% for groundwater, respectively. Analysis of the stable isotope data and water level measurements suggests a potential hydraulic connection between surface water and groundwater. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that the isotopes of groundwater have comparatively lower values than surface water. Furthermore, the observation that the groundwater level remains constant in months with lower rainfall further supports this conclusion. The estimated annual groundwater recharge in the catchment ranges from 9 to 667 mm (average 165 mm) and accounts for 0.6% to 33.5% (average 10.7%) of mean annual precipitation. The total estimated mean recharge for the study catchment is 228 M m3, higher than the estimated total surface water use for the entire Pra Basin of 144 M m3 for 2010, indicating vast groundwater potential. Overall, our study provides a novel insight into the recharge mechanism and spatial quantification of groundwater recharge, which can be used to constrain groundwater flow and hydrogeochemical evolution models, which are crucial for effective groundwater management within the framework of the Pra Basin’s Integrated Water Resources Management Plan.

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Section: Isotopic Characterization Of the Surface Water And Groundwatersupporting

confidence: 80%

Stable Isotopes and Water Level Monitoring Integrated to Characterize Groundwater Recharge in the Pra Basin, Ghana

Manu,

De Lucia,

Akiti

et al. 2023

Water

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“…Other dating methods based on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) (e.g., Refs. 42 , 43 ) or trace metals enrichment linked to the rising anthropogenic pressures that characterize the middle of the past century are used as concomitant temporal markers to 137 Cs and 210 Pb xs analyses (e.g. Refs.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal trajectories of artificial radiocaesium 137Cs in French rivers over the nuclear era reconstructed from sediment cores

Eyrolle,

Chaboche,

Lepage

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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Abstract137Cs is a long-lived man-made radionuclide introduced in the environment worldwide at the early beginning of the nuclear Era during atmospheric nuclear testing’s followed by the civil use of nuclear energy. Atmospheric fallout deposition of this major artificial radionuclide was reconstructed at the scale of French large river basins since 1945, and trajectories in French nuclearized rivers were established using sediment coring. Our results show that 137Cs contents in sediments of the studied rivers display a large spatial and temporal variability in response to the various anthropogenic pressures exerted on their catchment. The Loire, Rhone, and Rhine rivers were the most affected by atmospheric fallout from the global deposition from nuclear tests. Rhine and Rhone also received significant fallout from the Chernobyl accident in 1986 and recorded significant 137Cs concentrations in their sediments over the 1970–1985 period due to the regulatory releases from the nuclear industries. The Meuse River was notably impacted in the early 1970s by industrial releases. In contrast, the Seine River display the lowest 137Cs concentrations regardless of the period. All the rivers responded similarly over time to atmospheric fallout on their catchment, underlying a rather homogeneous resilience capacity of these river systems to this source of contamination.

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Enhancing predictive understanding and accuracy in geological carbon dioxide storage monitoring: Simulation and history matching of tracer transport dynamics

Khandoozi,

Shik Han,

Kim

et al. 2024

Chemical Engineering Journal

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Groundwater age dating using multi-environmental tracers (SF6, CFC-11, CFC-12, δ18O, and δD) to investigate groundwater residence times and recharge processes in Northeastern Ghana

Cited by 6 publications

References 49 publications

Stable Isotopes and Water Level Monitoring Integrated to Characterize Groundwater Recharge in the Pra Basin, Ghana

Stable Isotopes and Water Level Monitoring Integrated to Characterize Groundwater Recharge in the Pra Basin, Ghana

Temporal trajectories of artificial radiocaesium 137Cs in French rivers over the nuclear era reconstructed from sediment cores

Enhancing predictive understanding and accuracy in geological carbon dioxide storage monitoring: Simulation and history matching of tracer transport dynamics

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