Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Hydrogeologic framework of the Maku area basalts, northwestern Iran

Schéma hydrogéologique de la zone basaltique de Maku au nord ouest de l’Iran

Esquema hidrogeológico del área basáltica de Maku en el Noroeste de Irán

伊朗西北部马库玄武岩区的水文地质结构

ويژگيهاي هيدروژئولوژيكي بازالتهاي منطقه ماكو، شمال غرب ايران

Quadro hidrogeológico dos basaltos da área de Maku, noroeste do Irão

  • Report
  • Published:
Hydrogeology Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Maku area in northwestern Iran is characterized by young lava flows which erupted from Mount Ararat in Turkey. These fractured volcanic rocks overlie alluvium associated with pre-existing rivers and form a good basalt-alluvium aquifer over an area of 650 km2. Groundwater discharge occurs from 12 large springs, ranging from 20 to 4,000 L s−1, and from some extraction wells. Permian and Oligo-Miocene age limestones along the northern boundary of the Bazargan and Poldasht Plains basalts are intensively karstified and groundwater from these high lands easily enters the basalt-alluvium aquifers. The transmissivity of the basalt-alluvium aquifer ranges from 24 to 870 m2 d−1, indicating heterogeneity. Groundwater of the aquifer is a sodium-bicarbonate and mixed cation-bicarbonate type and the concentration of fluoride is higher than the universal maximum admissible concentrations for drinking. In order to determine the chemical composition and identify the source of the high fluoride concentrations in the groundwater of the basaltic area, water samples from the springs, wells and rivers were analyzed. The results indicate that the high fluoride water enters the study area from the Sari Su River.

Résumé

La zone de Maku au nord ouest de l’Iran est caractérisée par des coulées de lave jeune provenant de l’éruption du Mont Ararat en Turquie. Ces roches volcaniques fracturées sont surmontées par des alluvions associées à des rivières préexistantes qui forment un bon aquifère alluvial basaltique d’extension de 650 km2. La décharge des aquifères se fait au travers de 12 sources de 20 à 4,000 L s−1 et quelques forages. Les calcaires du Permien et de l’Oligo-Miocène le long de la bordure nord des plaines basaltiques de Bazargan et Poldasht sont fortement karstifiés et ces eaux souterraines des hauts plateaux alimentent de manière importante l’aquifère alluvial basaltique. La transmissivité de l’aquifère alluvial est comprise entre 24 et 870 m2 j−1, indiquant une forte hétérogénéité. Les eaux souterraines sont de type bicarbonaté-sodique et bicarbonaté - divers cations et les concentrations en fluor sont supérieures à la valeur maximale admissible internationalement pour l’eau potable. Afin de déterminer la composition chimique et d’identifier les sources de fluor des zones basaltiques les eaux aux sources, forages et rivières ont été échantillonnées. Les résultats indiquent que les eaux enrichies en fluor dans l’aquifère étudié proviennent de la rivière Sari Su.

Resumen

El área de Maku en el noroeste de Irán está caracterizada por flujos de lavas recientes que erupcionaron desde el Monte Ararat en Turquía. Estas rocas volcánicas fracturadas se encuentran por encima de aluvios asociados con ríos pre existentes y forman un buen acuífero basáltico – aluvial en un área de 650 km2. La descarga de agua subterránea se produce a partir de 12 grandes manantiales, que van de 20 a 4,000 L s−1, y a partir de algunos pozos de extracción. Calizas de edad pérmica y oligo – miocénica a lo largo del límite norte de las planicies basálticas de Bazargan y Poldasht están intensamente karstificadas y el agua subterránea de estas tierras altas ingresa fácilmente en el acuífero basáltico – aluvial. La transmisividad del acuífero basáltico aluvial varía desde 24 a 870 m2 d−1, lo cual indica su heterogeneidad. El agua subterránea del acuífero es de tipo bicarbonatada sódica y bicarbonatada de mezclas de cationes y la concentración de fluoruro es mayor que las concentraciones máximas universales admisibles para agua potable. Con el objeto de determinar la composición química e identificar el origen de las altas concentraciones de fluoruro del área basáltica, se analizaron muestras de agua a partir de los manantiales, pozos y ríos. Los resultados indican que el agua con alto contenido de fluoruro ingresa al área de estudio a partir del Río Sari Su.

摘要

伊朗西北部的马库地区具有来自土耳其亚拉腊山喷出的年轻熔岩流。这些裂隙火山岩覆盖在先前的河道冲积物之上, 在650 km2的范围内形成了一个很好的玄武岩-冲积物含水层。地下水经由12个大泉排泄, 流量自20至4000 Ls-1, 此外, 还通过若干抽水井进行排泄。沿巴扎尔干和波勒达什特平原玄武岩北部边界的二叠系和渐新—中新统石灰岩强烈喀斯特化, 这些高地上的地下水很容易进入玄武岩-冲积物含水层。玄武岩—冲积物含水层的导水系数在24至870 m2d-1, 表现出非均质性。含水层中的地下水是重碳酸钠或混合阳离子重碳酸盐型, 氟浓度高于通用的饮用水最大允许浓度。为确定玄武岩区地下水的化学成分、查明高浓度氟的来源, 从泉、井和河中采取水样进行了分析。结果表明, 高氟水是由Sari Su河进入研究区的。

چكيده

منطقه ماكو واقع در شمال غرب ايران با جريان گدازه هاي جوان كه از كوه آرارات در تركيه فوران يافته، مشخص شده است. اين سنگهاي ولكانيكي بازالتي رسوبات آبرفتي و رودخانه هاي قديمي را پوشانده و در منطقه¬اي به وسعت 650 كيلومتر مربع آبخوان بازالتي-آبرفتي خوبي را تشكيل داده است. منابع آب زيرزميني منطقه از طريق 12 چشمه بزرگ با متوسط دبي از 20 تا 4000 ليتر بر ثانيه و از تعدادي چاههاي بهره برداري تخليه مي شود. آهكهايي با سن پرمين و اليگو-ميوسن در طول مرز شمالي بازالتهاي دشتهاي بازرگان و پلدشت به شدت كارستي شده و آب زيرزميني از اين مناطق مرتفع به راحتي وارد سفره هاي بازالتي – آبرفتي مي شود. مقادير قابليت انتقال آبخوان آبرفتي – بازالتي از 24 تا 870 متر مربع در روز معرف هتروژنيتي اين سفره مي باشد. تيپ آب زيرزميني اين سفره از نوع سديم- بيكربنات و مخلوط كاتيون- بيكربنات است و غلظت فلوئوريد بيش از ماكزيمم غلظت جهاني قابل قبول براي آب آشاميدني است. براي تعيين تركيب شيميايي و مشخص كردن منبع فلوئوريد با غلظت بالا در آب زيرزميني منطقه بازالتي، نمونه هاي آب از رودخانه ها، چاهها و چشمه هاي موجود در منطقه تهيه و آناليز گرديد. نتايج نشان مي دهد كه فلوئوريد بالا در منابع آب از طريق رودخانه ساري سو به منطقه مورد مطالعه وارد مي شود.

Resumo

A área de Maku, no noroeste do Irão, caracteriza-se por escoadas lávicas recentes provenientes da erupção do Monte Ararat, na Turquia. Estas rochas vulcânicas fracturadas sobrepõem-se a aluviões associados a rios pré-existentes e formam um bom aquífero de basalto-aluvião ao longo de uma área de 650 km2. A descarga de águas subterrâneas ocorre a partir de 12 grandes nascentes, variando de 20 a 4,000 L s−1, e a partir de alguns poços de extracção. Os calcários de idade Pérmica e Oligo-Miocénica ao longo da fronteira norte dos basaltos das Planícies de Bazargan e Poldasht estão intensamente carsificados e a água subterrânea destas terras altas entra facilmente nos aquíferos de basaltos-aluviões. A transmissividade do aquífero de basalto-aluvião varia de 24 a 870 m2 d−1, indicando heterogeneidade. A água subterrânea do aquífero é bicarbonatada-sódica e do tipo misto catião-bicarbonato, e a concentração de fluoreto é mais elevada do que as concentrações admissíveis máximas universais para consumo. De forma a determinar a composição química e identificar a origem das concentrações elevadas de fluoreto nas águas subterrâneas do aquífero da área basáltica, analisaram-se amostras de água das nascentes, poços e rios. Os resultados indicam que a água com conteúdo elevado de fluoretos entra na área de estudo a partir do rio Sari Su.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alavi Naini M, Bolurchi MH (1973) Explanatory text Maku quadrangle map 1:250000. Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran

  • Asghari Moghaddam A, Fijani E (2007) Hydrogeologic and hydrochemical studies of Maku Area Basaltic and Karstic Aquifers in relation to geological formations (in Persian). Sci Q J Geosci 17(67):2–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Asghari Moghaddam A, Fijani E (2008) Distribution of fluoride in groundwater of Maku area, northwest of Iran. Environ Geol 56:281–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Asghari Moghaddam A, Jomeiri R, Mohamadi A (2005) Investigation of hydrogeologic characteristics of Maku area basaltic rocks for optimum groundwater management using geophysical, RS and GIS methods (in Persian). University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

  • Asghari Moghaddam A, Jomeiri R, Mohamadi A (2007) Source of high fluoride in groundwater of basaltic lavas of Bazargan-Poldasht Plains and its ill effects on human health (in Persian). J Environ Stud, Univ Tehran 33:25–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Cruz JV, Amaral CS (2004) Major ion of groundwater from perched-water bodies of the Azores (Portugal) volcanic archipelago. Appl Geochem 19:445–459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drever JI (1982) The Geochemistry of natural waters. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • Farazab Co. (consulting engineers) (2003) Irrigation network and drainage plan for Ghanbari Plain of Maku: the first stage study: surface geology, tectonic and engineering geology, vol 3 (in Persian). Ministry of Power, Tehran

  • Fetter CW (1988) Applied hydrogeology, 2nd edn. Merrill, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Fijani E (2007) Investigation of hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of basaltic-alluvial aquifers in Bazargan and Poldasht Plains (in Persian). MSc Thesis, University of Tabriz, Iran

  • Geophysical Institute of Tehran University (1980) Geo-electrical survey of the Poldasht Plain aquifer (n Persian). Geophysical Institute of Tehran University, Tehran

  • Hounslow AW (1995) Water quality data: analysis and interpretation. CRC, Boca Raton, FL

  • Hussain J, Sharma KC, Hussain I (2004) Fluoride in drinking water in Rajasthan and its ill effects on human health. J Tissue Res 4:263–273

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson TM, Roback RC, McLing TL, Bullen TD, DePaolo DJ, Doughty C, Hunt RJ, Smith RW, DeWayne L, Murrell MT (2000) Groundwater “fast paths” in the Snake River Plain aquifer: radiogenic isotope ratios as natural groundwater tracers. Geol 28:871–874

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karakhanian A, Djrbashian R, Trifonov V, Philip H, Arakelian S, Avagian A (2002) Holocene-historical volcanism and active faults as natural risk factors for Armenia and adjacent countries. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 113:319–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naik PK, Awasthi AK, Anand AVSS, Mohan PC (2001) Hydrogeologic framework of the Deccan Terrain of the Koyna River basin, India. Hydrogeol J 9:243–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singhal BBS, Gupta RP (1999) Applied hydrogeology of fractured rocks. Kluwer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands

  • Smith RP (2004) Geologic setting of the Snake River Plain aquifer and Vadose Zone. Vadose Zone J 3:47–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • West Azarbaijan Regional Water Authority (1993) Reconnaissance of water resources in fractured rocks of Arras basin. (in Persian). Report, Ministry of Power, Tehran

  • WHO (2006) Guidelines for drinking-water quality: recommendations, 1st addendum to 3rd edn., vol 1, World Health Organization, Geneva

  • Williams H, Mc Birny AR (1979) Volcanology. Freeman, San Francisco

  • Yilmaz Y, Guner Y, Saroglu F (1998) Geology of the quaternary volcanic centers of the east Anatolia. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 85:173–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the Research Office at University of Tabriz. The authors wish to acknowledge the Maku Regional Water Authority for supplying the existing relevant data. We would like to thank R. Abdollahzadeh and A. Nadiri for their kind help during the field work and in preparing some of the maps. We would also like to thank George Breit and Marshall Gannett for their technical reviews of this report, and Mike Streetly of ESI Ltd for reading the manuscript and making helpful comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Asghar Asghari Moghaddam.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Asghari Moghaddam, A., Fijani, E. Hydrogeologic framework of the Maku area basalts, northwestern Iran. Hydrogeol J 17, 949–959 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-008-0422-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-008-0422-y

Keywords

Navigation