Estimating groundwater recharge in a cold desert environment in northern China using chloride

Understanding sources and rates of recharge to the Badain Jaran Desert in northern China is important for assessing sustainability of the area’s oasis lake ecosystem and its water resources in general. For this purpose, direct recharge was investigated with the chloride mass balance method for 18 unsaturated zone profiles (6–16 m depth). Spatial variability is low across the area (range in mean Cl in profiles: 62–164 mg/L Cl), largely attributable to the uniformity of sandy unsaturated zone conditions. No strong correlations between environmental factors of profile locations and recharge rates were found, though a weak relationship between recharge and vegetation density was suggested. The study area’s complex dune morphology appears to have no measurable impact on recharge variability. Mean estimated diffuse recharge is 1.4 mm/year (1.0–3.6 mm/year for 95% confidence level), approximately 1.7% of mean annual precipitation. Temporal fluctuations in recharge due to climate variability are apparent and there is good correspondence in temporal trends over a time span of 200–300 years. Water balance considerations indicate that direct recharge is insufficient to support the numerous perennial lakes in the study area, suggesting that diffuse recharge presently plays a minor role in the overall water balance of the desert’s shallow Quaternary aquifer.