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Evaluation of natural tracers in an acidic and metal‐rich stream
Author(s) -
Bencala Kenneth E.,
McKnight Diane M.,
Zellweger Gary W.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr023i005p00827
Subject(s) - sulfate , manganese , confluence , tracer , chloride , fluoride , magnesium , calcium , geology , sodium , environmental chemistry , mineralogy , hydrology (agriculture) , chemistry , environmental science , inorganic chemistry , geotechnical engineering , physics , organic chemistry , computer science , nuclear physics , programming language
In natural waters, a variety of solutes would be appropriate for use as tracers in different situations. Comparisons were made of natural tracers at the confluence of an acidic stream (Snake River) with a pristine stream (Deer Creek) near Montezuma, Colorado. Three comparisons were made during late summer at low‐flow conditions to identify the naturally occurring conservative solutes in the stream system: (1) a steady injection of chloride and sodium was used as an artificial, conservative baseline tracer to compare the behavior of silica, sulfate, and fluoride, (2) within the mixing zone of the confluence, comparisons were made of the lateral concentration gradients of sodium, calcium, magnesium, silica, sulfate, and fluoride, and (3) the conservative behavior of naturally occurring calcium, magnesium, silica, sulfate, fluoride, and manganese was evaluated from stream samples collected on four different days. On the basis of the results of these comparisons, manganese and sulfate were used as conservative solutes to demonstrate computation of: (1) the reactive losses of other solutes within the confluence and (2) the ratio of chemical inflows from Deer Creek and the Snake River. The approach used in this evaluation can be applied in the study of chemically similar acidic systems.