Geochemical fingerprints, evolution, and driving forces of groundwater in an alpine basin on Tibetan Plateau: Insights from unsupervised machine learning and objective weight allocation approaches

Abstract

Study Region

Tongde Basin, a typical alpine basin on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau

Study focus

Research on the hydrochemical pattern and availability of groundwater is very limited in alpine regions, which greatly hinders the rational ulitilization and scientific management of groundwater resources. Multiple approaches integrating self-organizing map, K-means, entropy weight were employed to elucidate the distinct hydrochemical evolution patterns and controlling mechanisms of groundwater in alpine basins with dense human activities.

New hydrological insights for the region

Multiple hydrochemical evolution patterns were discovered for groundwater in present alpine basin on northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Groundwater presents a gradual hydrochemical evolution from the piedmont to the riverside under the natural regulation with the increasing of TDS and major ions along the flow path. While, groundwater at some sporadic sites is featured with relatively high total alkalinity due to carbonate mineral dissolution. The riverine groundwaters are regulated by the strong hydrodynamic condition of river and demonstrate fresher hydrochemical characteristics. Groundwaters in the irrigation areas are featured by elevated nitrate levels with a maximum of 42.86 mg/L, attributed to agricultural pollution inputs. A conceptual model was established to illustrate the distinct hydrochemical fingerprints, evolution patterns and controlling mechanisms of groundwater in alpine basins that with dense human activities. This research can enhance the understanding of groundwater chemical status, genesis and availability, and is beneficial for the conservation and sustainable management of groundwater resources in ecologically fragile alpine regions worldwide.