2016
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2015.12.046
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Distribution of tritium in precipitation and surface water in California

Abstract: Tritium is an important tool in hydrological research. As a radioactive isotope and part of the water molecule, it can be used in tracer studies and to provide an estimate of water residence time. The spatial distribution of cosmogenic tritium in precipitation is affected by geomagnetic latitude and distance from the ocean, but was overwhelmed by tritium from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing in the 1950's and 1960's.The purpose of this study was to determine the current tritium input from precipitation and … Show more

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Cited by 51 publications
(14 citation statements)
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“…Correlations between tritium and stream flow, supported by chemical analyses, have been explained by mixing between young recent recharge and older water stored in the catchment (Hofmann et al, ). A decrease in tritium concentrations was observed in the majority of the Sierra Nevada rivers from summer/fall 2013 to winter/spring 2013/2014 (Harms et al, ) and attributed to a greater proportion of low‐tritium groundwater contribution to surface waters in 2013–2014 winter/spring samples collected in drought conditions. Tritium concentrations in French rivers not impacted by nuclear facilities were twice lower than reconstructed concentrations in precipitation.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Correlations between tritium and stream flow, supported by chemical analyses, have been explained by mixing between young recent recharge and older water stored in the catchment (Hofmann et al, ). A decrease in tritium concentrations was observed in the majority of the Sierra Nevada rivers from summer/fall 2013 to winter/spring 2013/2014 (Harms et al, ) and attributed to a greater proportion of low‐tritium groundwater contribution to surface waters in 2013–2014 winter/spring samples collected in drought conditions. Tritium concentrations in French rivers not impacted by nuclear facilities were twice lower than reconstructed concentrations in precipitation.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Quarterly samples are available for three major Sierra Nevada rivers (Merced, Kings, and Kern) from the Global Network of Isotopes in Rivers collected and analysed between 1984 and 1987 by the USGS (Coplen & Kendall, ; Kendall & Coplen, ). Additional samples are available for Tuolumne, Stanislaus, San Joaquin Rivers (Harms, Visser, Moran, & Esser, ), and for the North and South Fork of the Kern River (Lechler & Niemi, ). The San Joaquin River was sampled 14 times between 1984 and 1987 at Vernalis, at the northern edge of the study area, downstream from all of the rivers in the study area, except the Stanislaus (Coplen & Kendall, ; Kendall & Coplen, ).…”
Section: Study Area Methods Data and Analysismentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Tritium activity is affected by both spatial patterns in precipitation (with higher values expected for higher elevations [41] and by the decay of tritium during groundwater flow. Samples from higher elevations on Mount Shasta generally show higher tritium activity (red colors; Figure 9).…”
Section: Groundwater Travel Timesmentioning
confidence: 99%