Identifying the pattern of shallow groundwater hydrochemistry and its driving factors in a typical estuarine delta of Poyang Lake watershed, China: Insights into water quality assessment

Abstract

Study region

A typical estuarine delta of Gan−Xiu River within Poyang Lake watershed, situated in the north of Jiangxi Province, China

Study focus

Although groundwater is considered as a crucial water resource for social development and public health, it presents significant challenges in preventing the deterioration of groundwater quality in the seasonal floodplain regions. Hence, this study focuses on the spatiotemporal variations of ionic concentrations of shallow groundwater in an estuarine delta of Gan-Xiu River in Poyang Lake watershed, which is greatly complicated by complex hydrological regimes and intensive anthropogenic activities such as cropland fertilizer. The potential factors controlling the ionic concentrations were identified using self-organizing map clustering and Piper diagram approaches. Moreover, the overall water quality of shallow groundwater was assessed according to the ionic compositions.

New hydrological insights for the region

(1) Shallow groundwater chemistry was influenced by weathering silicate and carbonate from ionic and Gibbs plots, which is highly associated with the distribution of the carbonate rock fissure-karst aquifer in the study region. (2) The contribution of groundwater to river water varied from 53.2 % to 71.5 % via isotopic analysis, suggesting that groundwater dominate the component of river water. (3) Most samples from cluster types are suitable for drinking and irrigation use except for sites from Cluster 6, which were characterized by the higher concentrations of Cl⁻, NO₃⁻ and SO₄²⁻.