• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.105-120
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• 2016

Most of riverside in Korea, in case of application of water curtain cultivation (WCC) technique, has been inveterately suffering from the gradual drawdown of groundwater level and related shortage of water resources during the WCC peak time. We believe that the water resources issue in these riverside areas can be effectively solved when the interaction between groundwater and nearby surface water is well understood. To investigate the connection between stream and ground water, and the influence of stream water on the nearby aquifer, this study examined the water temperature and oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopic compositions. The study area is well-known strawberry field applying the WCC technique in Sangdae-ri, Gadeok-myon, Cheongju City, and the sampling was done from February 2012 through June 2014 for stream and ground water. Some groundwater wells near stream showed big temporal variations in water temperature, and their oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes showed similar compositions to those of adjacent stream water. This indicates that the influence of stream water is highly reflected in the stable isotopic composition of groundwater. Four cross-sectional lines from stream to hillside were established in the study area to determine the spatial differences in water quality of wells. At the late stage of WCC in February to March, groundwater of wells in line with short cross-sectional length showed the narrow range of isotopic compositions; however, those in the long cross-sectional line showed a wide compositional range. It was shown that the influence of the stream water at the late WCC stage have reached to the distance of 160 to 165 m from stream line, which is equivalent to the whole length and one-third point in each short and long cross-sectional line, respectively. Therefore, the wide compositional range in the long cross-sectional lines was not only due to the influence of stream water, but apparently resulted from the change of relative impact of each groundwater supplying from two or more aquifers. In view of stable isotopic compositions, there seems to be three different aquifers in this study area, which is competing for dominance of water quality in wells at each period of WCC.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.224-237
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• 2004

The anorthositic rocks of the study area are divided into the northern Sancheong and southern Hadong anorthositic rocks depending on the different distribution patterns and lithologies. In order to evaluate the characteristics of the hydrothermal systems developed in the study area, oxygen and hydrogen isotopic compositions of the anorthositic rocks were measured. Oxygen isotopic values of the plagioclase exhibit an interesting spatial distribution. Plagioclase collected from the Sancheong anorthositic rocks in the northern part tends to have a relatively restricted range of $\delta$$^{18/0}$ values between 7.3 and 8.8$\textperthousand$, which are heavier than 'normal' $\delta$$^{18/O}$ value (6-6.5$\textperthousand$) typical for plagioclase of the fresh mantle-derived anorthosite, whereas plagioclase from the southern part is characterized by a wide range of $\delta$$^{18/O}$ values between -4.4 and 8.2$\textperthousand$ and much lighter values than 'normal' value for plagioclase of the fresh mantle-derived anorthosite. Plagioclase from the middle part has $\delta$$^{18/O}$ values heavier than the plagioclase from the southern part, but lighter than that from the northern part. The spatial distribution of $\delta$$^{18/O}$ values suggests that the decoupled hydrothermal flow systems might have been developed in the study area. Meteoric water dominated in the hydrothermal flow systems developed in the southern area, whereas magmatic fluid dominated in the northern area. The relationship between water content and hydrogen isotopic composition of anorthosites shows a positive correlation. The positive correlation indicates that fluids exsolved from magma during magmatic differentiation caused deuteric alteration of anorthositic rocks involving replacement of pyroxenes to amphiboles. After the deuteric alteration, hydrothermal system developed by meteoric water dominated the southern area, and erased record of the hydrothermal system developed by magmatic fluid at earlier stage. However, the development of meteoric hydrothermal system has been limited in the southern area only, and could not affect the Sancheong anorthositic rocks in the northern area. The abundant occurrences of secondary alteration minerals such as sericite, calcite, and chlorite in the southern Hadong anorthosite relative to the northern Sancheong anorthositc seem to be related to the overlapping of two distinct hydrothermal systems in the southern area.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.303-314
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• 2020

Bottled water companies submit monthly hydrologic data including periodical environmental effects investigation, daily water production capacity, water production, water level, water chemistry (pH, EC, temperature) per hour and strictly manage groundwater by periodical analyses. Thus few problems concerning drawdown due to excess intake of groundwater take place. Nevertheless, bottled water companies are imprinted as a contribution to civil affairs resulted regarding groundwater near the companies. Therefore, a new method is required during water balance analysis in environmental effects evaluation, which should be compatible with the evaluation by hydrologic experts as well more accessible to non-experts. In this study, water level of surface water and recharge rate in subcatchment where water production wells are located were measured and monthly baseflow rates were separated from normal streams. Besides, recharge properties of groundwater and surface water in the same catchment area were estimated using analyses of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in groundwater (production well), surface water, and rainfall.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.485-498
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• 1998

The water-rock interaction and anthropogenic contamination affecting to geochemical composition of shallow and deep groundwaters were investigated in the agricultural area of Myunggok-ri, Kongju. The shallow groundwater is classified into the chemical types of $Ca-HCO_3$ and $Ca-Cl(SO_4)$ and shows weak acid having an average pH 6.2. Deep groundwater shows the uncontaminated composition of the chemical types of $Na-HCO_3$ and Na $(Ca)-HCO_3$ with pH of 8.4~8.8. The grouping approach of chemical data of waters shows the distinguished trend between water composition influenced anthrophogenic input and water composition mainly determined by natural process such as water-rock interaction. The main anthropogenic inputs affecting chemical composition of shallow groundwater are the contaminants such as $K^+$, $NO_3{^-}$, $Cl^-$ having average values of 4.4 mg/l, 22 mg/l, 13.7 mg/l, respectively. The contaminants were probably derived from fertilizer, sweage, septic tank, and stable, etc. The hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions indicate that five deep groundwaters were recharged from different altitudes, and that shallow and deep groundwaters were originated from meteoric water. Tritium contents of waters suggest that deep groundwater was recharged before or just after 1950s, and that shallow groundwater is much younger than deep groundwater. The results of this study may serve as a basic data for the future study of shallow groundwater as a drinking water in agricultural area, in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.232-236
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• 2000

Multi-regression statistical analyses were applied for the water quality data of shallow alluvial ground water (n = 47) collected from the Youngdeok area, in order to quantitatively generalize the natural (non-anthropogenic) causes of regional water quality variation. Seven samples having the high contamination index ( $C_{a}$ > 3) reflect the striong effects by anthropogenic activity. Most of the alluvial groundwaters have acquired their quality primarily due to the dissolution of carbonate minerals. The results of multi-regression analysis show that chlorine is mainly derived from seawater effect. Sulfur isotopic compositions of dissolved sulfur and the S $O_4$/Cl ratio also enable us to discriminate the samples (n = 18) which are affected by atmospheric input of marine aerosol (sea-spray) and also by mixing between freshwater and seawater. Hydrogen and oxygen isotope data of the samples collected lie close to the local meteoric water line obtained from nearby Pohang city but has lower slope (5.45) on the $\delta$D-$^{18}$ O plot, indicating that alluvial groundwater was recharged from infiltrated meteoric water which has undergone some degree of kinetic evaporation. The estimated initial isotopic composition of the recharged water ($\delta$D = -74.8$^{0}$ /$_{00}$, $\delta$$^{18}$ O = -10.8$^{[-1000]}$ /$_{[-1000]}$ ) suggests that the alluvial ground water recharge largely occurs during summer storm events.s.s.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.144-156
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• 2021

This study examined hydrogeological characteristics of groundwater and surface water interaction in the fresh-saline water mixed zone of East Coast lagoon area, Korea, using several technical approaches including hydrological, lithological, and isotopic methods. In addition, the fresh-saline water interface was evaluated using vertical electrical conductivity (EC) data. For this purpose, three monitoring wells (SJ-P1, SJ-P2, and SJ-P3) were installed across the Songji lagoon at depths of 7.4 to 9.0 m, and water level, EC, and temperature at the wells and in the lagoon (SJ-L1) were monitored using automatic transducers from August 1 to October 21, 2021. Isotopic composition of the groundwater, lagoon water, and sea water were also monitored in the mid-September, 2013. The mixing ratios calculated from oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition decreased with increasing depth in the monitoring wells, indicating saline water intrusion. In the study area, the interaction of groundwater-surface water-sea water was evident, and residual salinity in the sedimentary layers created in the past marine environment showed disorderly characteristics. Moreover, the horizontal flow at the lagoon's edge was more dominant than the vertical flow.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 1997

The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility of using stable isotopes as a hydrologic tracer, and to elucidate the groundwater circulation system and the source of S component dissolved in thermal water of the Chonju Jukrim thermal spring district based on the O, H and S isotopic variabilities of environmental materials including bedrock, rainwater, surface water, shallow subsurface water and thermal spring water. The ${\delta}^{18}O$ and ${\delta}D$ of subsurface waters and surface water show highly restricted range and plotted on the same meteoric water line as a ${\delta}D=8{\delta}^{18}O+19$ line, and derivate from the mean annual isotopic composition of the rain water but are analogous to those of rain waters precipitated during winter season, indicating that ground waters are originated from the meteoric water and are strongly affected by the seasonal variation of air mass. Thermal spring waters are more depleted in ${\delta}^{18}O$ and ${\delta}D$ than those of shallow ground water and surface water. It can be explained by the difference of recharge area. The hydrochemical properties of subsurface waters and surface water devide into two groups: $Ca(HCO_3)_2$ type including shallow subsurface water and surface water, and $Na(HCO_3)$ type of thermal spring waters. The ${\delta}^{34}S$ values of thermal spring water show very high positive and quitely distinct from those of shallow subsurface water and surface water that are similar to those of bed rocks, indicating that sulfate dissolved in thermal spring water has not only a terrigenic origin, but also originates partially from the foreign source containing very heavy ${\delta}^{34}S$ component such as an ancient sea water. However, the presence of $H_2S$ can not be ignore the affact of the isotopic fractionation to explaine the heavy ${\delta}^{34}S$ of thermal spring water. Overall, the Oxygen and Hydrogen stable isotopes can identify the source and the circulation system of the natural waters and the S-isotopes can provide a crucial clue on tracing the dissolved material transports in the circulation system of the natural water.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.469-483
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• 1999

Two different types of deep groundwaters occur together in the Jungwon area: $CO_2$-rich water and alkali water. Each water shows distrinct hydrogeochemical and environmental isotopic characteristics. The $CO_2$-rich waters are characterized by lower pH(6.0~6.4), higher Eh (25~85mV) and higher TDS content (up to 3,300 mg/l), whereas the alkali type waters have higher pH (9.1~9.5), lower Eh (-136~-128mV) and lower TDS content (168~254 mg/l). The CO2-rich waters ($Pco_2$=up to 1atm) were probably evolved by the local supply of deep $CO_2$ during the deep circulation, resulting in enhanced dissolution of surrounding rocks to yield high concentrations of $Ca^{2+}, Na^+, Mg^{2+}, K^+\; and \;HCO_3\;^-$ under low pH conditions. On the other hand, the alkali type waters ($Pco_2$=about 10-4.6 atm) were evolved through lesser degrees of simple wate/rock (granite) interaction under the limited suppy of $CO_2$. The alkali waters are relatively enriched in F- (up to 14mg/l), whereas the F- concentration of$CO_2$-rich water is lower (2.2~4.8 mg/l) due to the buffering by precipitation of fluorite. The oxygen-hydrogen isotopes and tritium data indicate that compared to shaltion ($\delta$18O=-9.5~-7.8$\textperthousand$),two different types fo deep groudwaters (<1.0TU)were both derived from pre-thermonuclear (more than 40 years old) meteoric waters with lighter O-H isotopic composition ($\delta$18O=-9.5~-7.8$\textperthousand$) and have evolved through prolonged water/rock interaction. The $CO_2$-rich waters also show some degrees of isotopic re-equilibration with $CO_2$ gas. The $\delta^{34}S$ values of dissolved sulfates (+24.2~+27.6$\textperthousand$) in the $CO_2$-rich waters suggest the reduction of sulfate by organic activity at depths. The carbon isotope data show that dissolved carbon in the $CO_2$-rich waters were possibly derived either from dissolution of calcite or from deep $CO_2$ gas. However, strontium isotope data indicate Ca in the $CO_2$-rich waters were derived mainly from plagioclase in granite, not from hydrothermal calcites.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.25-36
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• 2021

This study evaluated monthly, seasonal and altitudinal changes of oxygen and hydrogen isotope compositions of wet precipitation samples (n = 238) that were collected for last four years from 7 altitudes (from 265 to 1,500 m above sea level) in the Jeju Samdasoo watershed at the southeastern part of Jeju island, in order to examine the recharge characteristics of groundwater that is pumped out for the production of the Samdasoo drinking mineral water. Precipitation samples showed a clear seasonal change of O-H isotopic composition as follow, due to the different air masses and relative humidity: 𝛿D = 7.3𝛿¹⁸O + 11.3 (R² = 0.76) in the wet season (June to September), while 𝛿D = 7.9𝛿¹⁸O + 9.5 (R² = 0.91) in the dry season (October to May). In contrast, the stable isotope compositions of groundwater were nearly constant throughout the year and did not show a distinct monthly or seasonal change, implying the well-mixing of infiltrated water during and after its recharge. An altitudinal effect of the oxygen isotope compositions of precipitation was also remarkable with the decrease of -0.19‰ (R² = 0.91) with the elevation increase by 100 m. Based on the observed altitudinal change, the minimum altitude of groundwater recharge was estimated as 1,200 m above the sea level in the Jeju Samdasoo watershed.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.671-687
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• 2022

It has been reported that about 47% of groundwater wells within 10 km from the coastline in the western/southern coastal areas of Korea were affected by seawater. It has been interpreted that the cause of groundwater salinization is seawater intrusion. The Gilsan stream in the Seocheon area was a tidal stream until the Geumgang estuary dam was constructed and operated. Therefore, it is likely that the Gilsan stream catchment was deposited with sediments containing high-saline formation water prior to the use of landfill farmland at this catchment area. The groundwater in this study area showed EC values ranging from 111 to 21,000 µS/cm, and the water quality types were diverse including Ca(or Na)-HCO₃, Ca(or Na)-HCO₃(Cl), Na-Cl(HCO₃), Na-Cl types. It is believed that this diversity of water quality is due to the mixing of seawater and fresh groundwater generated by infiltration of precipitation and surface water through soil and weathered part. In this study, we discussed whether this water quality diversity and the presence of saline groundwater are due to present seawater intrusion or to remnant high-saline pore water in sediments during flushing out process. For this, rain water, surface water, seawater, and groundwater were compared regarding the water quality characteristics, tritium content, oxygen/hydrogen stable isotopic composition, and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio. The oxygen/hydrogen stable isotopic compositions indicated that water composition of saline groundwaters with large EC values are composed of a mixture of those of fresh groundwater and surface water. Also, the young groundwater estimated by tritium content has generally higher NO₃ content. All these characteristics showed that fresh groundwater and surface water have continued to affect the high-saline groundwater quality in the study area. In addition, considering the deviation pattern in the diagrams of Na/Cl ratio versus Cl content and SAR (sodium adsorption ratio) versus Cl content, in which two end members of fresh surface-ground water and seawater are assumed, it is interpreted that the groundwater in the study area is not experiencing present seawater intrusion, but flush out and retreating from ancient saline formation water.