Abstract
In the southwestern United States, precipitation in the high mountains is a primary source of groundwater recharge. Precipitation patterns, soil properties and vegetation largely control the rate and timing of groundwater recharge. The interactions between climate, soil and mountain vegetation thus have important implications for the groundwater supply. This study took place in the Sacramento Mountains, which is the recharge area for multiple regional aquifers in southern New Mexico. The stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen were used to determine whether infiltration of precipitation is homogeneously distributed in the soil or whether it is partitioned among soil-water ‘compartments’, from which trees extract water for transpiration as a function of the season. The results indicate that “immobile” or “slow” soil water, which is derived primarily from snowmelt, infiltrates soils in a relatively uniform fashion, filling small pores in the shallow soils. “Mobile” or “fast” soil water, which is mostly associated with summer thunderstorms, infiltrates very quickly through macropores and along preferential flow paths, evading evaporative loss. It was found that throughout the entire year, trees principally use immobile water derived from snowmelt mixed to differing degrees with seasonally available mobile-water sources. The replenishment of these different water pools in soils appears to depend on initial soil-water content, the manner in which the water was introduced to the soil (snowmelt versus intense thunderstorms), and the seasonal variability of the precipitation and evapotranspiration. These results have important implications for the effect of climate change on recharge mechanisms in the Sacramento Mountains.
Résumé
Dans le Sud-Ouest des Etats-Unis d’Amérique, les précipitations sur les hautes montagnes constituent une source principale de recharge des eaux souterraines. Le régime des précipitations, les propriétés du sol et la végétation contrôlent largement le taux et la période de la recharge des eaux souterraines. Les interactions entre le climat, le sol et la végétation de montagne ont donc des implications importantes pour l’approvisionnement en eaux souterraines. Cette étude prend place dans les Montagnes de Sacramento, la zone de recharge pour de nombreux aquifères régionaux dans le sud du Nouveau Mexique. Les isotopes stables de l’oxygène et de l’hydrogène ont été utilisés pour déterminer si l’infiltration des précipitations est distribuée de façon homogène dans le sol ou si elle est divisée au sein de ‘compartiments’ sol-eau, à partir desquels les arbres prélèvent l’eau pour leur transpiration. Les résultats indiquent que l’eau “immobile” ou “lente” du sol, qui est dérivée principalement de la fonte des neiges, s’infiltre de manière relativement uniforme dans le sol, remplissant les petits pores dans les sols peu profonds. L’eau “mobile” ou “rapide” du sol, qui est le plus souvent associée aux orages d’été, s’infiltre très rapidement par les macropores et le long de voies d’écoulement préférentiel, évitant les pertes par évaporation. Il a été constaté que pendant toute l’année, les arbres utilisent principalement l’eau immobile issue de la fonte des neiges mélangée à des degrés divers avec des sources d’eau mobile disponible selon les saisons. La reconstitution de ces différents réservoirs d’eau dans les sols semble dépendre de la teneur initiale en eau du sol, de la manière dont l’eau a été introduite dans le sol (fonte des neiges versus orages intenses), et la variabilité saisonnière des précipitations et de l’évapotranspiration. Ces résultats ont des implications importantes concernant l’effet du changement climatique sur les mécanismes de recharge dans les montagnes de Sacramento.
Resumen
En el suroeste de Estados Unidos, las precipitaciones en las altas montañas es una fuente primaria de recarga de agua subterránea. Los patrones de precipitación, las propiedades del suelo y la vegetación controlan en gran medida el ritmo y el momento de recarga del agua subterránea. Las interacciones entre el clima, el suelo y la vegetación de la montaña tienen así importantes implicancias para el suministro de agua subterránea. Este estudio se llevó a cabo en las montañas de Sacramento, que es el área de recarga para múltiples acuíferos regionales en el sur de Nuevo México. Se utilizaron isótopos estables de oxígeno e hidrógeno para determinar si la infiltración de la precipitación está homogéneamente distribuida en el suelo o si se reparte entre “compartimentos” de suelo-agua, de los cuales árboles extraen agua para la transpiración. Los resultados indican que en el suelo el agua “inmóvil” o “lenta”, que se deriva principalmente del derretimiento de la nieve, se infiltra en el suelo de una manera relativamente uniforme, llenando los pequeños poros en los suelos someros. El agua “ del suelo ”móvil“ o ”rápida, está mayormente asociada con las tormentas de verano, que se infiltra muy rápidamente a través de macroporos a lo largo de trayectorias preferenciales de flujo, evadiendo la pérdida por evaporación. Se encontró que a lo largo de todo el año, los árboles utilizan principalmente el agua inmóvil derivada del derretimiento de la nieve mezclada en distintos grados, con fuentes de agua móvil estacionalmente disponibles. La reposición de estas diferentes reservas de agua en los suelos parece depender del contenido inicial de agua del suelo, la forma en que se introdujo el agua al suelo (derretimiento de la nieve frente a tormentas intensas), y a la variabilidad estacional de la precipitación y la evapotranspiración. Estos resultados tienen implicancias importantes para el efecto del cambio climático en los mecanismos de recarga en las montañas de Sacramento.
摘要
在美国西南部,高山地区的降水是地下水补给的主要来源。降水模式、土壤特性和植被在很大程度上控制着地下水补给的速率和时机。因此,气候、土壤和山脉植被对地下水供给有重要的影响。萨克拉门托山脉是新墨西哥州南部多个区域含水层补给区,本研究就在此地进行。利用氧氢同位素确定降水入渗是否均匀分布在土壤中或降水入渗是否在土壤水“隔间”中被分割,从这些土壤水“隔间”中,树摄取水用于蒸腾。结果表明,主要来自融雪的“固定的”或“缓慢的”土壤水以相对均衡的模式入渗土壤,填充浅层土壤中的孔隙。主要与夏季雷雨相关的“非固定的”或“快速的”土壤水通过补给大孔隙及沿着优先流通道快速入渗,逃避了蒸发损耗。发现,树全年主要用固定的水与季节性可获取的非固定的水不同程度混合的的水源。土壤中这些不同水池的补充似乎依赖于最初的土壤水含量、水进入土壤的方式(融雪与强烈雷雨)以及降水和蒸发蒸腾的季节性变化。这些结果对于萨克拉门托山脉气候变化对补给机理的影响有重要的启示作用。
Resumo
No sudoeste dos Estados Unidos, precipitação nas montanhas altas é uma fonte primária de recarga das águas subterrâneas. Padrões de precipitação, propriedades do solo e a vegetação controlam amplamente a taxa e o tempo da recarga das águas subterrâneas. As interações entre clima, solo e vegetação de montanha têm implicações importantes no abastecimento das águas subterrâneas. Esse estudo foi realizado nas Montanhas de Sacramento, que é a área de recarga para múltiplos aquíferos regionais no sul do Novo México. Os isótopos estáveis de oxigênio e hidrogênio foram utilizados para determinar se a infiltração da precipitação é homogeneamente distribuída no solo ou se é particionada pelos ‘compartimentos’ solo-água, de onde as arvores extraem água para a transpiração. Os resultados indicam que a água do solo “imóvel” ou “lenta” que se deriva primeiramente do derretimento da neve, infiltra no solo de forma relativamente uniforme, preenchendo pequenos poros nos solos rasos. A água do solo “móvel” ou “rápida”, que está mais associada a tempestades de verão, infiltra rapidamente nos macroporos e por caminhos de fluxos preferenciais evitando perdas evaporativas. Foi descoberto que através do ano todo, as árvores utilizam principalmente a água imóvel vinda do derretimento da neve misturadas em diferentes graus pelas fontes de água móvel sazonalmente disponíveis. O reabastecimento desses diferentes reservatórios de água no solo aparentemente depende do conteúdo inicial da água no solo, a maneira com que a água é introduzida no solo (derretimento de neve versus tempestades intensas), e a variabilidade sazonal da precipitação e evapotranspiração. Esses resultados têm implicações importantes para o efeito da mudança climática nos mecanismos de recarga nas montanhas de Sacramento.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the land owner, Michael Coleman, for granting access to the study site, Otero Soil and Water Conservation District, the New Mexico Legislature and the New Mexico Geologic Society for project funding and numerous individuals from both the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (Trevor Kludt, Bridgette Felix Kludt, Stacy Timmons, Bonnie Frey) and the New Mexico Tech Earth and Environmental Sciences Department (Andy Campbell, Bruce Harrison, Marty Frisbee).
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This article belongs to a series that characterizes the hydrogeology of the Sacramento Mountains and the Roswell and Salt basins in New Mexico, USA
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Gierke, C., Newton, B.T. & Phillips, F.M. Soil-water dynamics and tree water uptake in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico (USA): a stable isotope study. Hydrogeol J 24, 805–818 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-016-1403-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-016-1403-1