Old groundwater influence on stream hydrochemistry and catchment response times in a small Sierra Nevada catchment: Sagehen Creek, California

The relationship between the chemical and isotopic composition of groundwater and residence times was used to understand the temporal variability in stream hydrochemistry in Sagehen basin, California. On the basis of the relationship between groundwater age and [Ca(2+)], the mean residence time of g...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Water resources research Vol. 41; no. 2; pp. W02004 - n/a
Main Authors:	Rademacher, L.K, Clark, J.F, Clow, D.W, Hudson, G.B
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	American Geophysical Union 01-02-2005 Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Subjects:	Catchment catchments chemical composition chemical hydrograph separation Geochemistry groundwater groundwater tracers hydrochemistry Hydrological cycles and budgets Hydrology isotopes Radiogenic isotope geochemistry seasonal variation snowmelt Streamflow streams watersheds California chemical hydrograph separation groundwater tracers hydrochemistry isotopes catchments
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Summary:	The relationship between the chemical and isotopic composition of groundwater and residence times was used to understand the temporal variability in stream hydrochemistry in Sagehen basin, California. On the basis of the relationship between groundwater age and [Ca(2+)], the mean residence time of groundwater feeding Sagehen Creek during base flow is approximately 28 years. [Cl(-)]:[Ca(2+)] ratios in Sagehen Creek can be used to distinguish between two important processes: changes in the apparent age of groundwater discharging into the creek and dilution with snowmelt. The mean residence time of groundwater discharging into the creek is approximately 15 years during snowmelt periods. The results from this study have implications for hydrograph separation studies as groundwater is not a single, well-mixed chemical component but rather is a variable parameter that predictably depends on groundwater residence time. Most current models of catchment hydrochemistry do not account for chemical and isotopic variability found within the groundwater reservoir. In addition, this study provides valuable insight into the long-term hydrochemical response of a catchment to perturbations as catchment-flushing times are related to the mean residence time of water in a basin.
Bibliography:	ArticleID:2003WR002805 istex:A159832C938068EE24910A988C8D3AF746305390 ark:/67375/WNG-RL99FDVX-H ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23
ISSN:	0043-1397 1944-7973
DOI:	10.1029/2003WR002805