Abstract
Lake Tana basin encompasses a wide regional volcanic aquifer system, in the northwestern highlands of Ethiopia. It has significant water resource potential for water supply and irrigation purposes. The objective of this study was to assess the physiochemical characteristics of the surface water-groundwater and investigate the processes controlling groundwater chemistry. A total of 273 water samples were collected from different water points for major ions and stable isotope analysis, representing different physiographic and hydrogeologic regions. Multivariate statistical, graphical methods, saturation and speciation modelling were used jointly to characterize water chemistry and to define hydrogeochemical processes. The Piper plots in combination with cluster analysis and isotope hydrological data indicate that, generally, the groundwater chemistry of the basin can be classified into (1) low TDS Ca-HCO3, Ca-Mg-HCO3, and Ca-Na-Mg-HCO3 type water which is relatively enriched in δ18O-δ2H and depleted in δ13C. These are recharge waters, which are characterized by low rock-water interaction; (2) brackish Mg-Na-Ca-HCO3 type water which is relatively depleted in δ18O-δ2H and enriched in δ13C; and (3) low TDS Na-(Ca)-HCO3 and Na-HCO3 type water which varies from less to more depleted in δ18O-δ2H and is characterized by relatively enriched δ13C. The cross-plots of the major cations vs. HCO3− and stability diagrams show that the primary processes controlling the groundwater evolution in the Lake Tana basin are alumino-silicate weathering and dissolution. Studying the hydrogeochemical characteristics of a complex geologic system with integrated approach helps to understand the complex groundwater flow system and flow dynamics, which in turn helps for proper groundwater utilization and future management.
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The authors confirm that the data supporting the finding of this study are submitted as supplementary material to the Environmental Science and Pollution Research journal.
We declare that the manuscript is original and has not been published before and is not currently being considered for publication elsewhere, in any form or language (partially or in full). Results are clearly presented, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation. We confirm no conflict of interest to disclose. Generally, we approved that this is our original work, and we confirm that we fulfill, the “Ethical Responsibilities of Authors” mentioned in the Environmental Science and Pollution Research journal, under the Springer website. In this research, we did not involve human participants and/or Animals.
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Acknowledgements
The Tana-Geohydro project was conducted jointly by Bahir Dar and Ghent University. The authors are also grateful to acknowledge Biniyam Misganaw for his support during fieldwork. Finally, we also thank the Amhara Bureau of water, irrigation, and energy, the office of water supply services of towns and cities in the Lake Tana basin providing access to water wells during sampling.
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This study was funded by VLIR-UOS under the TEAM project with reference number ZEIN2015PR408.
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Conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, investigation, software, and writing—original draft preparation: Fenta Nigate; investigation and reviewing the manuscript: Alemu Yenehun; investigation and reviewing the manuscript: Ashebir Sewale Belay; data acquisition and software: Marc Van Camp; conceptualization, reviewing, editing and supervision, and fund acquisition: Fenta Nigate and Kristine Walraevens; resources: Fenta Nigate and Kristine Walraevens.
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Nigate, F., Yenehun, A., Belay, A.S. et al. Hydrogeochemical processes and groundwater evolution in complex volcanic highlands and alluvio-lacustrine deposits (Upper Blue Nile), Ethiopia. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 63953–63974 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26573-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26573-6