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Spatial variations in chemical compositions along Langtang–Narayani river system in central Nepal

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

Surface water samples were collected from Langtang Lirung glacier outlet point to the Narayani river system in central Nepal in order to investigate the role of elevation in the variation of chemistry along the drainage networks. The chemistry of Langtang–Narayani river system was dominated by sulfide oxidation coupled with carbonate dissolution and weathering of silicate minerals. Calcium and magnesium concentrations were relatively higher than other cations and the sum of both species strongly correlated with alkalinity, supporting the dissolution of carbonate and dolomite as the dominant source for these ions. Aluminosilicate minerals primarily as albite and anorthite appeared as dominant silicate minerals within the drainage basin. Bisiallitization was the dominant type of weathering within the entire drainage system. Hydrogen ion concentration was lower in the low elevation sites than in high elevation sites reflecting the more consumption of carbon dioxide in the low elevation sites due to enhanced chemical weathering rates. Furthermore, major solutes like sum of base cations, silicon as well as alkalinity increased in concentration in the lower elevation sites. All regulating factors appeared to be directly related to elevation and hence elevation appeared to be the prime factor for the variation in chemical species along the Langtang–Narayani river system.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Prof. Y Ageta and Prof. M Nakawo for inviting us to join the Cryosphere Research Expedition in the Himalayas in 1996. The authors are grateful to Dr. Akiko Sakai, Dr. Koji Fujita and other members of the expedition for their help and cooperation during the field works. The authors also thank Maddy Wasiewski for her help during the preparation of the manuscript. The authors thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and Dr. Jan Schwarzbauer for his suggestions in improving the manuscript. This work was supported in part by a grant in aid for scientific research (no 06041051) from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Japan.

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  1. Graduate School of Earth Environmental Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan

    Maya P. Bhatt, Toshiyuki Masuzawa & Mineko Yamamoto

  2. Gregg Hall, Environmental Research Group, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA

    Kevin H. Gardner

  3. Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Kavre, P. O. Box: 6250, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Maya P. Bhatt

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  1. Maya P. Bhatt
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Correspondence to Maya P. Bhatt.

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Toshiyuki Masuzawa: deceased.

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Bhatt, M.P., Masuzawa, T., Yamamoto, M. et al. Spatial variations in chemical compositions along Langtang–Narayani river system in central Nepal. Environ Geol 57, 557–569 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1325-x

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