Application of isotopic tracers to determine water residence times in multi-scale water management

• Grant number: 17/50038-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2017
• End date: July 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Agreement: University of Nebraska - Lincoln
• Mobility Program: SPRINT - Projetos de pesquisa - Mobilidade
• Principal Investigator: Didier Gastmans
• Grantee: Didier Gastmans
• Principal researcher abroad: Troy E. Gilmore
• Institution abroad: University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), United States
• Host Institution: Centro de Estudos Ambientais (CEA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/15749-2 - Stable isotopes applications for the assessment of the hydrological cycle process: precipitation and small catchments in São Paulo State, BR, AP.R

Abstract

Sustainable use and management of aquifers and their interaction with rivers and lakes requires qualitative and quantitative assessment of aquifer hydrogeology and dynamics, and the use of conceptual and/or hydrologic models. Hydrologic observations in addition to estimation of aquifer properties are needed for numerical groundwater models. Recently, isotope techniques such as groundwater age dating (where "age" is the time between recharge and sampling), are being used to develop conceptual models of groundwater flow and provide information for model calibration. A wide number of isotopes can be used to estimate groundwater ages ranging from decades to thousands of years, and each tracer has advantages and disadvantages. Field sampling requirements for different tracers, as well as the model assumptions and corrections necessary to estimate groundwater ages, are non-trivial, especially when applied in different climatic and hydrogeological settings. The goal of this project is to combine the expertise of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Water Cluster research group (UNL-WC) in age-dating "young" groundwater with the expertise of scientists at Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) in age-dating "old" groundwater to improve ongoing studies (including FAPESP-funded research). We will also conduct workshops in Nebraska and Brazil, and seek to develop collaborative proposals related to water management in two globally important aquifers the Guarani Aquifer (Brazil) and the High Plains Aquifer (USA) (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CHERRY, MIKAELA; GILMORE, TROY; MITTELSTET, AARON; GASTMANS, DIDIER; SANTOS, VINICIUS; GATES, JOHN B.. Recharge seasonality based on stable isotopes: Nongrowing season bias altered by irrigation in Nebraska. Hydrological Processes, v. 34, n. 7, JAN 2020. (17/50038-5, 16/18735-5)