Premium
Patterns of Ground‐Water Chemistry, Ross Creek Basin, Alberta, Canada
Author(s) -
Ophori D. U.,
Tóth J.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
groundwater
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1745-6584
pISSN - 0017-467X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-6584.1989.tb00003.x
Subject(s) - groundwater recharge , brackish water , structural basin , hydrology (agriculture) , groundwater , geology , water chemistry , aquifer , geochemistry , salinity , geomorphology , oceanography , geotechnical engineering
On the basis of the degree of mineralization, approximately 40 percent of the ground water in Ross Creek Basin may be considered as fresh (TDS < 2,000 ppm), and 60 percent as brackish (2,000 < TDS < 10,000 ppm). At least 70 percent of the ground water is potable within treatable limits. Major ion analyses of over 167 water samples reveal a strikingly consistent regional pattern of hydrochemistry. The hydrochemical pattern correlates with the flow pattern of ground water in the basin. Low total dissolved solids contents, high Ca 2+ :Mg 2+ ratio, low SO 4 2− , and high HCO 3 − occur in recharge areas, whereas opposite conditions are associated with discharge areas. In terms of hydrochemical facies, waters of the Ca‐Mg‐HCO 3 and Na‐HCO 3 types are dominant in recharge areas, and those of the Ca‐Mg‐SO 4 ‐HCO 3 and Na‐SO 4 ‐HCO 3 types prevail in discharge areas. The hydrochemical evolutionary trends appear to be strongly related to the flow paths.