Multivariate statistical analysis of hydrochemical data to assess alluvial aquifer–stream connectivity during drought and flood: Cressbrook Creek, southeast Queensland, Australia

King, A. C.; Raiber, Matthias; Cox, Malcolm

doi:10.1007/s10040-013-1057-1

Cited by 50 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…5). These hydrochemical facies differ slightly from those presented by King et al (2014), which were determined by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) using major and minor ions and pH. Despite these differences, there are similarities between the hydrochemical facies identified in this paper and the clusters derived using HCA.…”

Section: Hydrochemical Faciescontrasting

confidence: 61%

“…Despite these differences, there are similarities between the hydrochemical facies identified in this paper and the clusters derived using HCA. For example, Hydrochemical Facies 5 of the current paper correlates well with subclusters B2 and B3 of King et al (2014) and Hydrochemical Facies 3 shares similarities with subclusters A3 and A1.…”

Section: Hydrochemical Faciesmentioning

confidence: 53%

“…While water was initially released from the dam to recharge the alluvium, releases were controver- C a tc h m e n t H e a d w a te rs U p p e r C a tc h m e n t M id C a tc h m e n t L o w e r C a tc h m e n t Figure 2. Geology, topography and surface drainages of the Cressbrook Creek catchment (viewed from the east; adapted from King et al, 2014).…”

Section: Hydrogeological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…3), suggesting that groundwater gradients between the alluvial aquifer and stream are dynamic and dependent on the antecedent rainfall conditions. However, it is apparent that the alluvium receives substantial recharge from Cressbrook Creek in the mid to lower catchment (King et al, 2014).…”

Section: Climate and Surface Water Drainagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This apparent lack of carbonates implies that radiocarbon dating of alluvial groundwaters is unlikely to be significantly affected by interactions with carbonate minerals. King et al (2014) describe this complex, multi-layered alluvial system as a two-layer system based on sediment grain size assessment. The basal coarse-grained layer consists mostly of sands and gravels, whereas the upper low permeability layer is primarily composed of fine-grained sediments such as silts and clays.…”

Section: Alluviummentioning

confidence: 99%

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Identifying flood recharge and inter-aquifer connectivity using multiple isotopes in subtropical Australia

King

Raiber

Cendón

et al. 2015

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. An understanding of hydrological processes is vital for the sustainable management of groundwater resources, especially in areas where an aquifer interacts with surface water systems or where aquifer interconnectivity occurs. This is particularly important in areas that are subjected to frequent drought/flood cycles, such as the Cressbrook Creek catchment in Southeast Queensland, Australia. In order to understand the hydrological response to flooding and to identify inter-aquifer connectivity, multiple isotopes (δ 2 H, δ 18 O, 87 Sr / 86 Sr, 3 H and 14 C) were used in this study in conjunction with a comprehensive hydrochemical assessment, based on data collected 6 months after severe flooding in 2011. The relatively depleted stable isotope signatures of the flood-generating rainfall (δ 2 H: −30.2 to −27.8 ‰, δ 18 O: −5.34 to −5.13 ‰ VSMOW) were evident in surface water samples (δ 2 H: −25.2 to −23.2 ‰, δ 18 O: −3.9 to −3.6 ‰ VSMOW), indicating that these extreme events were a major source of recharge to the dam in the catchment headwaters. Furthermore, stable isotopes confirmed that the flood generated significant recharge to the alluvium in the lower part of the catchment, particularly in areas where interactions between surface waters and groundwater were identified and where diffuse aquifer recharge is normally limited by a thick (approximately 10 m) and relatively impermeable unsaturated zone. However, in the upper parts of the catchment where recharge generally occurs more rapidly due to the dominance of coarse-grained sediments in the unsaturated zone, the stable isotope signature of groundwater resembles the longer-term average rainfall values (δ 2 H: −12.6, δ 18 O: −3.4 ‰ VSMOW), highlighting that recharge was sourced from smaller rainfall events that occurred subsequent to the flooding. Interactions between the bedrock aquifers and the alluvium were identified at several sites in the lower part of the catchment based on 87 Sr / 86 Sr ratios; this was also supported by the hydrochemical assessment, which included the modelling of evaporation trends and saturation indices. The integrated approach used in this study facilitated the identification of hydrological processes over different spatial and temporal scales, and the method can be applied to other complex geological settings with variable climatic conditions.

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Section: Hydrochemical Faciescontrasting

confidence: 61%

Section: Hydrochemical Faciesmentioning

confidence: 53%

Section: Hydrogeological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Climate and Surface Water Drainagementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Alluviummentioning

confidence: 99%

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