Evolution of groundwater major components in the Hebei Plain: Evidences from 30-year monitoring data

Groundwater is the main water source in the Hebei Plain. Evolution of groundwater chemistry can not only provide scientific data for sustainable usage of groundwater resources, but also help us in better understanding hydrogeochemical processes in aquifers. Spatial distribution and temporal evolution were analyzed on basis of monitoring data between 1975 and 2005. Results showed that major components in groundwater had increasing trends since 1970s. Major components in shallow groundwater increased more than those in deep one. In shallow groundwater of piedmont alluvial fan-recharge zone, concentrations of Na+, Ca2+, SO4 (2-) had great increasing trends, while other major components increased by less than 30%. There were great increasing trends in Na+, Cl-, SO4 (2-) concentrations in deep groundwater of central alluvial plain-intermediate zone, while other major components increased by no more than 20%. Deep groundwater from coast plain-discharge zone and piedmont alluvial fan-recharge zone showed no significant variations in major ion concentrations. In shallow groundwater, dissolution, evaporation and human activities played a major role in the increase in major components. However, groundwater mixture resulting from deep groundwater exploitation was believed to be the major factors for the increases in major components in deep groundwater of central alluvial plain-intermediate zone.