Field identification of groundwater flow systems and hydraulic traps in drainage basins using a geophysical method

Groundwater flow systems and stagnant zones in drainage basins are critical to a series of geologic processes. Unfortunately, the difficulty of mapping flow system boundaries and no field example of detected stagnant zones restrict the application of the concept of nested flow systems. By assuming the variation in bulk resistivity of an aquifer with uniform porosity is mainly caused by groundwater salinity, the magnetotelluric technique is used to obtain the apparent resistivity of a profile across a groundwater-fed river in the Ordos Plateau, China. Based on the variations in apparent resistivity of the Cretaceous sandstone aquifer, the basin-bottom hydraulic trap below the river has been detected for the first time, and its size is found to be large enough for possible deposition of large ore bodies. The boundaries between local and regional flows have also been identified, which would be useful for groundwater exploration and calibration of large-scale groundwater models. Key Points The hydraulic trap with higher TDS has been identified for the first time The continuous boundaries of local and regional flow systems have been mapped The magnetotelluric method is useful for large-scale flow system studies