Details zur Publikation

Kategorie Textpublikation
Referenztyp Zeitschriften
DOI 10.1007/s10040-021-02390-4
Lizenz creative commons licence
Titel (primär) Age and origin of groundwater resources in the Ararat Valley, Armenia: a baseline study applying hydrogeochemistry and environmental tracers
Autor Schubert, M.; Michelsen, N.; Schmidt, A.; Eichenauer, L.; Knoeller, K.; Arakelyan, A.; Harutyunyan, L.; Schüth, C.
Quelle Hydrogeology Journal
Erscheinungsjahr 2021
Department CATHYD
Band/Volume 29
Heft 7
Seite von 2517
Seite bis 2527
Sprache englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Supplements https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1007%2Fs10040-021-02390-4/MediaObjects/10040_2021_2390_MOESM1_ESM.pdf
Keywords Groundwater residence time; Tritium; Radiosulphur; Stable isotopes; Armenia
Abstract Within the Ararat Valley (Armenia), a continuously growing water demand (for irrigation and fish farming) and a simultaneous decline in groundwater recharge (due to climate change) result in increasing stress on the local groundwater resources. This detrimental development is reflected by groundwater-level drops and an associated reduction of the area with artesian conditions in the valley centre. This situation calls for increasing efforts aimed at more sustainable water resources management. The aim of this baseline study was the collection of data that allows for study on the origin and age distribution of the Ararat Valley groundwater based on environmental tracers, namely stable (δ2H, δ18O) and radioactive (35S, 3H) isotopes, as well as physical-chemical indicators. The results show that the Ararat Valley receives modern recharge, despite its (semi-)arid climate. While subannual groundwater residence times could be disproved (35S), the detected 3H pattern suggests groundwater ages of several decades, with the oldest waters being recharged around 60 years ago. The differing groundwater ages are reflected by varying scatter of stable isotope and hydrochemical signatures. The presence of young groundwater (i.e., younger that the 1970s), some containing nitrate, indicates groundwater vulnerability and underscores the importance of increased efforts to achieve sustainable management of this natural resource. Since stable isotope signatures indicate the recharge areas to be located in the mountains surrounding the valley, these efforts must not be limited to the central part of the valley where most of the abstraction wells are located.
dauerhafte UFZ-Verlinkung https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=25117
Schubert, M., Michelsen, N., Schmidt, A., Eichenauer, L., Knoeller, K., Arakelyan, A., Harutyunyan, L., Schüth, C. (2021):
Age and origin of groundwater resources in the Ararat Valley, Armenia: a baseline study applying hydrogeochemistry and environmental tracers
Hydrogeol. J. 29 (7), 2517 - 2527 10.1007/s10040-021-02390-4