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Relationship between electrical conductivity, 18O of water and NO3 content in different streamflow stages

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Abstract

The Ballenera Creek has 160 km2 being a small catchment in the Pampa Plain in Argentina. This area has been deeply modified by human action through agricultural activities. From 2013 to 2017, electrical conductivity, stable isotopes of water and nitrate concentration monitoring program were conducted. The sampling included weekly and bimonthly samples in two sites along the stream, several groundwater wells and monthly precipitation. Chemical and isotopic tracers are used to discriminate the streamflow components and to evaluate their incidence in the nitrate concentration. The easiest conceptual model for gaining streams contemplates two main elements: direct runoff and groundwater (baseflow and pre-event water). The direct runoff has the lowest electrical conductivity and 18Ow variable content. The baseflow component is characterized by the highest electrical conductivity and isotope composition quite constant. Finally, pre-event water has an intermediate electrical conductivity and isotopic content close to the rainfall-weighted average composition. The nitrate concentration obtained was in general related to the different stream stages and was a useful indicator to evaluate the fertilization in agricultural zones.

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Acknowledgements

This study was economic support by grants from INGEIS and FONCyT (PICT-2014-1529). The authors are grateful to Mr. Eduardo Llambías (INGEIS, CONICET-UBA) forhis assistance in logistics and fieldwork, Mr. Gustavo Bernava, staff Laboratory of the Institute of Marine and Coastal Research (CONICET-UNMPD) for the water chemical analyses, Florencia Gutheim PhD and Mr. Oscar Urruty of Chacra Experimental Miramar for their invaluable cooperation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotópica (INGEIS, CONICET-UBA), Pabellón INGEIS, Ciudad Universitaria, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Carolina Calvi & Cristina Dapeña

  2. CONICET e Instituto de Geología de Costas y del Cuaternario (CGCyC)-UNMDP, CC 722, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina

    Daniel E. Martinez & Orlando M. Quiroz Londoño

Authors
  1. Carolina Calvi
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  2. Cristina Dapeña
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  3. Daniel E. Martinez
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  4. Orlando M. Quiroz Londoño
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carolina Calvi.

Additional information

This article is a part of Topical Collection in Environmental Earth Sciences on IV RAGSU—Advances in Geochemistry of the Surface in Argentina, edited by Dr. Americo Iadran Torres and Dr. Pablo Jose Bouza.

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Calvi, C., Dapeña, C., Martinez, D.E. et al. Relationship between electrical conductivity, 18O of water and NO3 content in different streamflow stages. Environ Earth Sci 77, 248 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-018-7427-1

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