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Karst hydrogeological observations in Tra Linh and Quang Uyen districts, Cao Bang province, Vietnam

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Abstract

The Tra Linh and Quang Uyen Districts are located in Cao Bang Province, Northeastern Vietnam, where abundant rainfall combined with considerable soluble limestones of Devonian, Carboniferous, and Permian ages support a spectacular tower karst landscape. This paper is a comprehensive study based on geologic, tectonic, and hydrogeological observations in the Tra Linh and Quang Uyen Districts, Cao Bang Province, Vietnam, enhanced with water-quality samples collected from 31 sites. Each location was sampled once, in March 2012 or February 2014, except Hang Ban Lang (HQ-31) and Hang Ban Nua (HQ-32) springs, which were sampled twice to determine variability in water quality. The water samples were analyzed for physical proprieties and chemical and isotopic composition. To better understand the impact of the lithologic factor to the development of the karst landscape in the study area, two rock samples were collected and analyzed during the 2014 trip. Four additional rock samples were collected for comparison from areas located in similar humid subtropical climate as the study area; three from Thailand and one from Alabama, USA. The data and analyses presented herein are performed for the first time in the study area. Results showed that groundwater quality met US drinking-water standards, with only manganese exceeded secondary maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in seven samples. Specific conductance values for the water samples ranged from 153.2 to 421.6 µS/cm. The pH values ranged from 6.51 to 8.29, total hardness (as CaCO3) was between 85 and 326 mg/L, the total alkalinity as CaCO3 varied from 68 to 207 mg/L, and carbon dioxide varied between 32.4 and 123.4 mg/L. The water chemistry is dominated by calcium. The highest concentrations of calcite were recorded in the rock samples collected in Vietnam. The water samples collected in the Cao Bang Province are depleted in both 18O and deuterium with a d-excess value above ~ 10‰ and have a median value of 13.16‰. Some samples exhibited lesser (three samples with values under 10; a sinking stream, a karst window, and a lake) or higher deuterium excess values due to local variations in humidity, temperature, and wind speed. The data set reported here only represents a local and time-limited snapshot of the water isotopic compositions. Further studies are required to confirm our preliminary results from Cao Bang Province.

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Notes

  1. Karst feature identification number given by Geokarst Adventure team.

  2. Maximum calcium content is 40%.

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Acknowledgements

This material is based upon work supported by the National Speleological Society Research Grant to Gheorghe Ponta. We are grateful to Bogdan Onac from the University of South Florida for performing the water hydrogen and oxygen isotopes analyses of samples collected in 2012 and to Ferenc Forray from the University Babes-Bolyai, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, for performing and interpreting the water hydrogen and oxygen isotopes analyses of samples collected in 2014. The water isotope measurements (at University Babes-Bolyai, Stable Isotope Laboratory, Cluj-Napoca, Romania) were carried out on equipment funded by RICI grant no. 6/PM/I 2008 (MECS-ANCS). Sponsors for the hydrogeological investigation were the Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources Vietnam, and the “Geokarst Adventure” team.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Survey of Alabama, 420 Hackberry Lane, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35401, USA

    Gheorghe M. L. Ponta

  2. Vietnam Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources, 67 Chien Thang Road, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Nam Nguyen Xuan

  3. R&D National Institute for Nonferrous and Rare Metals, Biruintei Blvd, 102 Pantelimon, Ilfov, Romania

    Florentin Stoiciu, Viorel Badaliță, Lenuța J. Enache & Ioan A. Tudor

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  1. Gheorghe M. L. Ponta
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  2. Nam Nguyen Xuan
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  3. Florentin Stoiciu
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  4. Viorel Badaliță
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  5. Lenuța J. Enache
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  6. Ioan A. Tudor
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Correspondence to Gheorghe M. L. Ponta.

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Ponta, G.M.L., Nguyen Xuan, N., Stoiciu, F. et al. Karst hydrogeological observations in Tra Linh and Quang Uyen districts, Cao Bang province, Vietnam. Carbonates Evaporites 33, 579–600 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-018-0447-9

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