Groundwater and surface-water interactions and impacts of human activities in the Hailiutu catchment, northwest China

Yang, Zhi; Zhou, Yangxiao; Wenninger, Jochen; Uhlenbrook, Stefan; Wang, Xusheng; Wan, Li

Groundwater and surface-water interactions and impacts of human activities in the Hailiutu catchment, northwest China | Interactions entre les eaux souterraines et les eaux de surface et impacts des activités anthropiques dans le bassin versant d’Hailiutu, Nord-Ouest de la Chine Interacciones e impactos de las actividades humanas en el agua subterránea y superficial en la cuenca Hailiutu, noroeste de China 中国西北地区Hailiutu流域地下水和地表水相互作用及人类活动影响 Interações entre águas subterrâneas e águas superficiais e impactos das atividades humanas na bacia de Hailiutu, noroeste da China

2017

The interactions between groundwater and surface water have been significantly affected by human activities in the semi-arid Hailiutu catchment, northwest China. Several methods were used to investigate the spatial and temporal interactions between groundwater and surface water. Isotopic and chemical analyses of water samples determined that groundwater discharges to the Hailiutu River, and mass balance equations were employed to estimate groundwater seepage rates along the river using chemical profiles. The hydrograph separation method was used to estimate temporal variations of groundwater discharges to the river. A numerical groundwater model was constructed to simulate groundwater discharges along the river and to analyze effects of water use in the catchment. The simulated seepage rates along the river compare reasonably well with the seepage estimates derived from a chemical profile in 2012. The impacts of human activities (river-water diversion and groundwater abstraction) on the river discharge were analyzed by calculating the differences between the simulated natural groundwater discharge and the measured river discharge. Water use associated with the Hailiutu River increased from 1986 to 1991, reached its highest level from 1992 to 2000, and decreased from 2001 onwards. The reduction of river discharge might have negative impacts on the riparian ecosystem and the water availability for downstream users. The interactions between groundwater and surface water as well as the consequences of human activities should be taken into account when implementing sustainable water resources management in the Hailiutu catchment.

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