Temporal dynamics of water level and water sources analyses of karst tidal springs in Guilin, China

Abstract

The hydrological dynamics and sources of karst tidal springs are difficult to capture and quantify due to fluctuations in their flow velocity. In this study, the Laolongshui (LLS) karst tidal spring in the Maocun underground river basin of Guilin City was taken as an example, with a 2-year continuous monitoring of the electrical conductivity, and water level, as well as water chemical analysis. The results showed the following: (1) discovered the variation pattern of LLS water level in different seasons, the water level fluctuates regularly on a daily scale, with a rise and fall time of 43.6 min after heavy rainfall in the rainy season, while in the dry season, it lasts for about 74–80 h. (2) Four peaks were extracted from the frequency distribution of electrical conductivity, representing the response of springwater under different rainfall conditions. (3) The annual average frequencies of the occurrence of P1, P2, P3, and P4 in terms of time are 53.82, 39.29, 6.18, and 0.72%, respectively. The results provide a new method for analyzing groundwater's source and dynamic changes in karst areas. HIGHLIGHTS Two years of automatic continuous monitoring illustrated the water level fluctuation of a typical karst tidal spring.; Explaining the forming mechanism of karst tidal springs.; The frequency distribution of conductivity quantified the source of karst water.; Providing a fast and low-cost new method for identifying karst water sources.; Enriching groundwater investigation methods and understanding of underground structures.;

Keywords

• conductance frequency distribution
• diurnal variation
• groundwater source