Oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes as recharge indicators, Central Nile Delta Quaternary aquifer, Egypt

Abstract

This work aims to utilize oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes as tracers for determining the groundwater sources of recharge in the central Nile delta. The analyzed water samples were collected from canals and drains as surface water, soil water and shallow, intermediate and deep zones of the groundwater. The isotopic data indicated that surface water samples have higher isotopic content than recent Nile river water (&#948 ¹⁸O = 2.39‰ and &#948² H = 22‰) which reflect the influence of an evaporation process that takes place in surface water bodies during its flow. Soil water samples were affected by evaporation process during water infiltration via soil. It was estimated that soil water samples have higher enrichment isotopic contents than groundwater and less than surface and recent Nile water. Studied groundwater is composed of mixed source from groundwater recharged before and that recharged after High Dam construction. Few groundwater samples have depleted isotopic content which suggested a mixing source between the rainwater and the Nile River water before High Dam construction. The evaporation is indicated in the shallow groundwater by the deviation away from the global meteoric line. In the deep groundwater, more deviation from global meteoric line was noticed which reflects the effect of mixing between freshwater and seawater. The intermediate groundwater samples average line showed an intermediate deviation indicating the effect of both evaporation and seawater intrusion.