Meeting Abstract

Publication year: 2007

Pages: H51B-0456-

Journal: Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union

Volume number: 88

Issue number: 52, Suppl.

Publisher: Wiley

Abstract: 

The upscaling of hydrologic process understanding to mesoscale catchments is challenging, in part because of measurement limitations: we cannot characterize the hydrometric response of large catchments using standard hydrometric measurement protocols. Tracer-based approaches, however, do have significant potential to contribute to our understanding in larger catchments. The application of tracer-based approaches to catchment characterization are increasingly common, and are of particular interest to a number of recent research initiatives including PUB, which have been formulated based upon the clear need for the hydrologic sciences to more fully contribute to watershed management strategies at larger scales. This study was designed to identify water source areas and flow paths in the previously ungauged basin of the 3600 km² comprising catchment of the Xilin river, Inner Mongolia, P.R. China, in order to improve process understanding for further model development. The catchment is characterized by a relatively homogenous land use consisting of large steppe and sand dune areas used for grazing purposes and few small villages. There is no industry which could act as contaminating point sources to the river. We hypothesize that the water chemistry of the Xilin river reflects the composition of the underlying soils and geology. Snapshot sampling was conducted during summers of 2005 and 2006. Samples taken were analyzed for elemental composition with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) and for anions with an ion chromatograph (IC). Also, in situ measurements of pH and EC were conducted. In this paper we present mixing diagrams and results of multivariate statistical analysis to better understand and quantify the sources of streamflow. Our results suggest that a simple three component mixture model is capable of describing the water composition during the vegetation period. The three components identified are one groundwater, one tributary and a headwater source.

Harvard Citation style: Barthold, F., Schneider, K., Breuer, L., Vache, K., Frede, H. and McDonnell, J. (2007) Identification of Water Source Areas Using a Multi Tracer Approach in a Semiarid Catchment in Inner Mongolia, PR China, Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union, 88(52, Suppl.), p. H51B-0456

APA Citation style: Barthold, F., Schneider, K., Breuer, L., Vache, K., Frede, H., & McDonnell, J. (2007). Identification of Water Source Areas Using a Multi Tracer Approach in a Semiarid Catchment in Inner Mongolia, PR China. Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union. 88(52, Suppl.), H51B-0456.