Turner, J.V., Townley, L.R., Rosen, M.R., and Sklash, M.K. (1992), Coupling the spatial distribution of solute concentration and stable isotope enrichments to hydrologic processes in hypersaline paleochannel aquifers, Water-Rock Interaction, Proc. of 7th International Symposium on Water-Rock Interaction ­ WRI-7, Park City, Utah, 13-18 July, Balkema, Rotterdam, 217-221.

A non-dimensional, distributed parameter model is used to investigate processes causing spatially increasing chloride concentrations along the flow direction of a 55 km length of hypersaline paleochannel aquifer in a semi-arid region of Western Australia. The model links the processes of groundwater recharge, evaporative discharge from salt lakes and subsurface groundwater outflow to account for the chloride distribution along the system. The 18O - 2H compositions of the groundwaters plot on a low-slope evaporation trend. As an independent check, estimates of evaporative discharge from the model were used to calculate this slope. Results are used to provide estimates of recharge rate and explain the saturation state of the groundwaters with respect to gypsum and halite.

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Copyright © 2005 by Lloyd Townley
Last revised: 6 May 2005