Stable isotope dynamics of groundwater interactions with Ganges river

Groundwater depletion has been an emerging crisis in recent years, especially in highly urbanized areas as a result of unregulated exploitation, thus leaving behind an insufficient volume of usable freshwater. Presently Ganges river basin, the sixth largest prolific fluvial system and sustaining a huge population in South Asia, is witnessed to face (i) aquifer vulnerability through surface waterborne pollutant and (ii) groundwater stress due to summer drying of river as a result of indiscriminate groundwater abstraction. The present study focuses on a detailed sub-hourly to seasonally varying interaction study and flux quantification between river Ganges and groundwater in the Indian subcontinent which is one of the first documentations done on a drying perennial river system that feeds an enormous population. Contributing parameters to the total discharge of a river at its middle course on both temporal and spatial scale is estimated through three-component hydrograph separation and end-member mixing analysis using high-resolution water isotope (delta O-18 and delta H-2) and electrical conductivity data. Results from this model report groundwater discharge in river to be the highest in pre-monsoon, that is, 30%, whereas, during post-monsoon the contribution lowers to 25%; on the contrary, during peak monsoon, the flow direction reverses thus recharging the groundwater which is also justified using annual piezometric hydrographs of both river water and groundwater. River water-groundwater interaction also shows quantitative variability depending on river morphometry. The current study also provides insight on aquifer vulnerability as a result of pollutant mixing through interaction and plausible attempts towards groundwater management. The present study is one of the first in South Asian countries that provides temporally and spatially variable detailed quantification of baseflow and estimates contributing parameters to the river for a drying mega fluvial system.

Automated summary

This study focuses on the interaction and flux quantification between the Ganges river and groundwater in the Indian subcontinent, revealing the seasonal variation in groundwater discharge and estimating contributing parameters to the river in its middle course. Results show that groundwater discharge in the river is highest in the pre-monsoon period, decreases slightly post-monsoon, and reverses flow direction during peak monsoon, recharging the groundwater.