Quantifying recharge of the Ghussein wells using chemical tracers

摘要

A modified chloride mass balance approach is used to assess ground water recharge in the shallow aquifers of the Ghussein well field in northeastern Jordan. Chemical mass balance of other major solutes (carbonate, sulfate, magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium) are taken into account as well as alternate sources of solutes other than wet precipitation. These phases and constraints are used as inputs for NETPATH simulations (Plummer et al. 1991). Results of this approach suggest that salts in the surficial deposits are a major contributor of chloride to the recharge water, and thus recharge values are higher than would be expected assuming traditional chloride mass balance assumptions. These results are confirmed by stable isotopic data for the water.