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Hydrogeochemical and isotopic study of the Kumho River, Korea: implications for anthropogenic and seasonal effects

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Abstract

The geochemical and isotopic compositions of river water are controlled by different factors. The seasonal and spatial variations in the geochemical composition, δD, δ18O, and δ15N–NO3 of the Kumho River were investigated to reveal the geochemical processes occurring at different seasons. The Kumho River, which runs through different geologic terrains with different land use characteristics, is the largest tributary of the Nakdong River, the longest river in South Korea. The data varied significantly according to the land use and the season. Each monitoring station showed the lowest concentrations of various ions during July, the rainy season, due to the increase of precipitation rate. The ionic concentrations gradually increased downstream by the mineral weathering and anthropogenic activity. At the upper regions of the river, Ca and HCO3, which are closely associated with mineral weathering, were the most dominant cation and anion, respectively. The relatively high Si concentration of the headwater samples, caused by the weathering of volcanic rocks, also showed the importance of weathering in the upper regions mainly composed of volcanic rocks. The downstream regions of the Kumho River are mainly influenced by sedimentary rocks. At the lower reaches of the river, especially near the industrial complexes in Daegu, the third largest city in Korea, Na, Cl, and SO4 became the dominant ions, indicating that the anthropogenic pollution became more important in regulating the chemical composition of the river. The increasing (Ca + Mg + Na + K)/HCO3 ratio downstream also indicates that the anthropogenic effects became more important as the river flows downstream. The isotopic compositions of δD and δ18O indicate that the river waters were significantly affected by evaporation during May and July, but the evaporation effect was relatively low during October. The isotopic composition of δ15N–NO3 increased downstream, also confirming that anthropogenic effects became more significant at the lower reach of the river and near Daegu.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Kyungpook National University Research Fund, 2012, and by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (No. 2010-0004392).

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  1. Department of Geology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 702-701, Korea

    Yeongkyoo Kim

  2. Department of Environmental Engineering, Kunsan National University, Jeonbuk, 573-701, Korea

    Kangjoo Kim

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  1. Yeongkyoo Kim
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Correspondence to Kangjoo Kim.

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Kim, Y., Kim, K. Hydrogeochemical and isotopic study of the Kumho River, Korea: implications for anthropogenic and seasonal effects. Environ Earth Sci 68, 2051–2064 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-012-1892-8

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