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The origin of increased salinity in the Cambrian-Vendian aquifer system on the Kopli Peninsula, northern Estonia

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Abstract

Monitoring of the confined Cambrian-Vendian aquifer system utilised for industrial water supply at Kopli Peninsula in Tallinn over 24 years reveals remarkable changes in chemical composition of groundwater. A relatively fast 1.5 to 3.0-fold increase in TDS and in concentrations of major ions in abstracted groundwater is the consequence of heavy pumping. The main sources of dissolved load in Cambrian-Vendian groundwater are the leaching of host rock and the other geochemical processes that occur in the saturated zone. Underlying crystalline basement, which comprises saline groundwater in its upper weathered and fissured portion, and which is hydraulically connected with the overlying Cambrian-Vendian aquifer system, is the second important source of ions. The fractured basement and its clayey weathering crust host the Ca-Cl type groundwater, which is characterised by high TDS values (2–20 g/L). Intensive water abstraction accelerates the exchange of groundwaters and increases the area of influence of pumping. Chemical and isotopic studies of groundwater indicate an increasing contribution of old brackish water from the crystalline basement and rule out the potential implication of an intrusion of seawater into aquifer.

Résumé

L’origine de la salinité croissante dans le système aquifère du Cambrien-Vendien dans la péninsule de Kopli, nord de l’Estonie

Le suivi à long terme du système aquifère captif du Cambrien-Vendien utilisé pour l’approvisionnement d’eaux industrielles dans la Péninsule de Kopli, nord de l’Estonie, révèle de remarquables changements dans la composition chimique des eaux souterraines. Une augmentation de facteur 1.5 à 3 de la TDS et des concentrations en ions majeurs dans l’eau souterraine est la conséquence de pompages intensifs. Les sources principales des charges dissoutes dans les eaux de l’aquifère du Cambrien-Vendien sont le lessivage des roches et d’autres phénomènes géochimiques ayant lieu dans la zone saturée. Le soubassement rocheux cristallin, qui renferme des eaux souterraines salines dans sa partie supérieure altérée et fissurée, et est hydrauliquement connecté avec l’aquifère supérieur du Cambrien-Vendien, est la deuxième importante source d’ions. Le soubassement fracturé et le matériel argileux de l’altération, renferme l’eau souterraine de type Ca-Cl, caractérisée par un haut TDS (2–20 g/l). A cause de la mobilisation intensive de l’eau les échanges d’eau souterraine est sont accélérés et la zone d’influence des pompages augmentent. Les études chimiques et isotopiques indiquent une contribution croissante du drainage des eaux du soubassement cristallin. L’intrusion d’eaux salées de la mer dans le système aquifère n’est pas un phénomène évident.

Resumen

El origen del incremento en salinidad en un sistema de acuíferos Cámbrico-Vendiano en la Península Kopli, norte de Estonie

Monitoreo a largo plazo de un sistema de acuíferos confinados, de edad Cámbrico-Vendiano, que se utiliza como fuente de abastecimiento industrial en la Península Kopli, al norte de Estonie, revela cambios notables en la composición química del agua subterránea. Un incremento de 1.5 a 3 veces en TDS y en concentraciones de iones mayores en agua subterránea explotada ha sido ocasionado por bombeo fuerte. Las fuentes principales de carga disuelta en el agua subterránea Cámbrico-Vendiano son la lixiviación de la roca encajonante y los procesos geoquímicos que ocurren en la zona saturada. Basamento cristalino subyacente, que aloja agua subterránea salada en la parte superior intemperizada y fisurada, y está conectado hidráulicamente con el sistema acuífero Cámbrico-Vendiano sobreyacente, es la segunda fuente importante de iones. El basamento fracturado y su corteza de intemperismo arcillosa alojan agua subterránea de tipo Ca-Cl la cual se caracteriza por valores altos de TDS (2–20 g/l). Debido a extracción intensiva se ha acelerado el intercambio de agua subterránea y se ha incrementado el área de influencia del bombeo. Los estudios químicos e isotópicos de agua subterránea indican una contribución creciente por filtración derivada del basamento cristalino. Es evidente una intrusión de agua salada hacia el sistema de acuíferos con implicaciones subsecuentes para la calidad del agua.

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Acknowledgements

Many individuals and organizations have contributed to this paper. The authors thank the staff of the Geological Survey of Estonia for providing the long-term groundwater monitoring data. This study has been carried out with the financial support of Estonian Science Foundation (ESF) Grant no 4906. Isotopic investigations were financed by the EC Framework V project EVK1-CT1999–0006 “BaSeLiNe” and by the ESF Grant no 4161 and performed in the Laboratory of isotope-palaeoclimatology of the Institute of Geology at Tallinn Technical University. Reviews and suggestions by Dr. Martine Savard and Dr. Miroslov Nastev greatly improved the quality of the manuscript.

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  1. Institute of Geology, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia

    Enn Karro & Andres Marandi

  2. Institute of Geology, Tallinn Technical University, Estonia pst. 7, 10143, Tallinn, Estonia

    Rein Vaikmäe

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  1. Enn Karro
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Karro, E., Marandi, A. & Vaikmäe, R. The origin of increased salinity in the Cambrian-Vendian aquifer system on the Kopli Peninsula, northern Estonia. Hydrogeology Journal 12, 424–435 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-004-0339-z

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