Solute geochemistry and its sources of the groundwaters in the Qinghai Lake catchment, NW China

Major ion compositions were analyzed in 65 groundwater samples to decipher water quality, solute geochemistry and sources of groundwater within the Qinghai Lake catchment, NE Tibetan Plateau. Groundwaters were slightly alkaline with pH varying from 7.2 to 8.7. The total dissolved solids (TDS) varied over two orders of magnitude from fresh (88%) to brackish (12%) with a mean value of 672 mg/L, higher than river waters within the Qinghai Lake catchment and river waters draining the Himalayas and the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Most of the samples, approximately 80%, were the Ca2+–Mg2+–HCO3- type and suitable for drinking and irrigation. Some of the Lakeside, the Buha and the Qinghai Lake water were the Na+–Cl− type and not suitable for drinking and irrigation. Water quality of Hargai and Shaliu samples was better than the others. Rock weathering, ion exchange and precipitation are the major geochemical processes responsible for the solutes in the groundwater within the Qinghai Lake catchment. Anthropogenic input to the groundwater is minor. The forward models on the input of groundwaters from various sources showed that the contributions were 40.1% for carbonate weathering, 29.0% for evaporite dissolution, 16.8% for atmospheric input and 14.1% for silicate weathering of the total dissolved cations for the whole catchment. Evaporite dissolution was dominating in the Lakeside, the Buha and the Daotang samples, contributing 15.3–45.9%, 20.4–61.1% and 21.3–63.9% of the total dissolved cations, respectively. Carbonate weathering was dominated in the Shaliu and the Hargai samples, contributing 23.9–71.7% and 31.8–95.4% of the total dissolved cations, respectively. The result also demonstrated that carbonate weathering had higher contribution to the groundwaters than silicate weathering.

► Solute geochemistry of groundwater in QHL catchment was deciphered.
► Water quality and sources of shallow groundwater were evaluated.
► Carbonate weathering and evaporite dissolution dominated in groundwater.
► Ion exchange and precipitation are also the major geochemical processes.
► It promotes effective management of groundwater resources in this area.