Geochemical characterization of groundwater evolution south of Grand Canyon, Arizona (USA)

Beisner, Kimberly R.; Solder, John E.; Tillman, Fred D.; Anderson, Jessica R.; Antweiler, Ronald C.

doi:10.1007/s10040-020-02192-0

Cited by 19 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Uranium concentrations from groundwater samples were available from the USGS National Water Information System 54 database from several USGS-led projects in the area over the years, with monitoring results since 2009 from ongoing sampling related to evaluating potential effects from breccia pipe uranium mining on regional water resources. Sampling results from many of these sites have been discussed in other studies of groundwater geochemistry in the area 20 , 26 , 55 – 57 . Uranium concentrations in groundwater also were available from a USGS–National Park Service (NPS) sampling partnership in 2016–2017, in which Grand Canyon National Park staff visiting spring locations in the park collected water samples for analyses by USGS laboratories.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several water-resources investigations have been conducted in the region 14 – 19 . Since 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has planned and conducted scientific investigations on potential effects from uranium mining in the area 20 – 24 . Among other activities, USGS collects groundwater samples in the Grand Canyon region to understand the current state of groundwater quality, to monitor for changes in groundwater quality that may be the result of mining activities, to identify "hot spots" with elevated metal concentrations, and to investigate the causes of elevated metal concentrations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An assessment of uranium in groundwater in the Grand Canyon region

Tillman

Beisner

Anderson

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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The Grand Canyon region in northern Arizona is a home or sacred place of origin for many Native Americans and is visited by over 6 million tourists each year. Most communities in the area depend upon groundwater for all water uses. Some of the highest-grade uranium ore in the United States also is found in the Grand Canyon region. A withdrawal of over 4000 km2 of Federal land in the Grand Canyon region from new uranium mining activities for 20 years was instituted in 2012, owing in part to a lack of scientific data on potential effects from uranium mining on water resources in the area. The U.S. Geological Survey has collected groundwater chemistry samples since 1981 in the Grand Canyon region to better understand the current state of groundwater quality, to monitor for changes in groundwater quality that may be the result of mining activities, and to identify "hot spots" with elevated metal concentrations and investigate the causes. This manuscript presents results for the assessment of uranium in groundwater in the Grand Canyon region. Analytical results for uranium in groundwater in the Grand Canyon region were available for 573 samples collected from 180 spring sites and 26 wells from September 1, 1981 to October 7, 2020. Samples were collected from springs issuing from stratigraphic units above, within, and below the Permian strata that host uranium ore in breccia pipes in the area. Maximum uranium concentrations at groundwater sites in the region ranged from less than 1 µg/L at 23 sites (11%) to 100 µg/L or more at 4 sites (2%). Of the 206 groundwater sites sampled, 195 sites (95%) had maximum observed uranium concentrations less than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Maximum Contaminant Level of 30 µg/L for drinking water and 177 sites (86%) had uranium concentrations less than the 15 µg/L Canadian benchmark for protection of aquatic life in freshwater. The establishment of baseline groundwater quality is an important first step in monitoring for change in water chemistry throughout mining lifecycles and beyond to ensure the health of these critical groundwater resources.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An assessment of uranium in groundwater in the Grand Canyon region

Tillman

Beisner

Anderson

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

Self Cite

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“…The age of groundwater sourcing streamflow can vary by orders of magnitude (Carroll et al, 2020) and is expected to increase as climate change alters recharge patterns (Manning et al, 2012; Segura, 2021), increasing the time available for rock weathering and geochemical reactions in the subsurface. Groundwater solute concentrations have been observed to increase with groundwater age as solute concentrations increase where groundwater spends longer in the subsurface weathering material (Beisner et al, 2020; Genereux et al, 2009; Rademacher et al, 2001). However, because mineral‐dissolution and precipitation reactions are time dependent, to predict how groundwater geochemistry may shift under future climate we must be able to identify how long groundwater spends in the subsurface with potential to weather rocks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water‐rock interactions drive chemostasis

Warix,

Navarre‐Sitchler,

Singha

2024

Hydrological Processes

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The western U.S. is experiencing shifts in recharge due to climate change, and it is currently unclear how hydrologic shifts will impact geochemical weathering and stream concentration–discharge (C–Q) patterns. Hydrologists often use C–Q analyses to assess feedbacks between stream discharge and geochemistry, given abundant stream discharge and chemistry data. Chemostasis is commonly observed, indicating that geochemical controls, rather than changes in discharge, are shaping stream C–Q patterns. However, few C–Q studies investigate how geochemical reactions evolve along groundwater flowpaths before groundwater contributes to streamflow, resulting in potential omission of important C–Q controls such as coupled mineral dissolution and clay precipitation and subsequent cation exchange. Here, we use field observations—including groundwater age, stream discharge, and stream and groundwater chemistry—to analyse C–Q relations in the Manitou Experimental Forest in the Colorado Front Range, USA, a site where chemostasis is observed. We combine field data with laboratory analyses of whole rock and clay x‐ray diffraction and soil cation‐extraction experiments to investigate the role that clays play in influencing stream chemistry. We use Geochemist's Workbench to identify geochemical reactions driving stream chemistry and subsequently suggest how climate change will impact stream C–Q trends. We show that as groundwater age increases, C–Q slope and stream solute response are not impacted. Instead, primary mineral dissolution and subsequent clay precipitation drive strong chemostasis for silica and aluminium and enable cation exchange that buffers calcium and magnesium concentrations, leading to weak chemostatic behaviour for divalent cations. The influence of clays on stream C–Q highlights the importance of delineating geochemical controls along flowpaths, as upgradient mineral dissolution and clay precipitation enable downgradient cation exchange. Our results suggest that geochemical reactions will not be impacted by future decreasing flows, and thus where chemostasis currently exists, it will continue to persist despite changes in recharge.

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“…In addition, groundwater [1] often provides that main source of freshwater [3] used for drinking, domestic, agricultural, industrial, and ecological supplies worldwide. Thus, preservation of groundwater quality is a growing concern globally [6,7]. It is important to measure and understand the processes controlling the chemical composition of groundwater for the assessment of quality and potential future use.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Detailed Assessment of Groundwater Quality in the Kabul Basin, Afghanistan, and Suitability for Future Development

Jawadi

Sagin

Snow

2020

Water

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Kabul is one of the most populated cities in Afghanistan and providing resources to support this population in an arid climate presents a serious environmental challenge. The current study evaluated the quality of local Kabul Basin groundwater to determine its suitability water for drinking and irrigation purposes now and into the future. This aim was aided through groundwater parameter assessment as well as determination of Water Quality Index (WQI) developed from 15 observation points near the city. The results of our physicochemical analysis illustrate that groundwater in the majority of areas of the Kabul Basin is not generally suitable for human consumption, and in some cases the concentrations of many contaminants are higher than accepted health standards or water quality benchmarks. The aquifer underlies an arid landscape, and because of this 85% of the samples tested are very hard while just over 13% are classified as hard. Groundwater in the Kabul Basin is typically high in calcium and magnesium and overall classified as a calcium bicarbonate water type. Overall, more than 60% of the analyzed samples had concentrations higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) standard of total dissolved solids (TDS), 10% in total hardness (TH), about 30% in turbidity and more than 90% in magnesium. The results show that based on WQI, without treatment, roughly 5% of groundwater in the studied area is unsuitable for human consumption, while 13.3% is very poor and 40% is poor quality water. Approximately 40% of the assessed groundwater has good quality and could be used as drinking water for future development. Groundwater in some areas shows evidence of pollution and high dissolved solids content, rendering these sources unsuitable for either drinking or irrigation purposes.

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Geochemical characterization of groundwater evolution south of Grand Canyon, Arizona (USA)

Cited by 19 publications

References 44 publications

An assessment of uranium in groundwater in the Grand Canyon region

An assessment of uranium in groundwater in the Grand Canyon region

Water‐rock interactions drive chemostasis

A Detailed Assessment of Groundwater Quality in the Kabul Basin, Afghanistan, and Suitability for Future Development

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