68th Canadian Geotechnical Conference and 7th Canadian Permafrost Conference

HYDROLOGIC CONNECTIONS IN THE SOURCE AREA OF THE YELLOW RIVER AS INFERRED BY HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN ISOTOPES

Session: Permafrost Degradation II / Dégradation du pergélisol II

Chengwei Wan, Hohai University (China)
Peng Yi, Hohai University (China)
Minjie Zheng, Hohai University (China)
Zhongbo Yu, Hohai University (China)
Jie Wang, Hohai University (China)
Huijun Jin, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China)
Dongliang Luo, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China)
Yuzhong Yang, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China)
Qingfeng Wang, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China)
A. Aldahan, United Arab Emirates University (United Arab Emirates)

Analyses of stable (2H and 18O) and radioactive (3H) isotopes of different waters are applied here to investigate the potential changes in hydrologic connections of the surface and subsurface water in the Source Area of the Yellow River (SAYR), in northeast of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. A record of tritium in historical precipitation from 1956 to 2003 in the SAYR has been reconstructed and the results show that groundwater with tritium concentration fewer than 3.05 TU had a pre-1956 age. The spring water could be recognized as former years precipitation and had is around 10 years in age while the ages of well water in Madoi Town reflect recent precipitation. The d2H and d18O variability of the water system suggest that the Yellow River and its tributaries were mainly recharged by the shallow ground water in the continuous permafrost, while in seasonal permafrost region, surface water recharged the groundwater.