Investigating seawater intrusion in republic of South Africa’s heuningnes, Cape Agulhas using hydrogeochemistry and seawater fraction techniques
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Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
MDPI
Abstract
The Heuningnes Catchment in the Republic of South Africa was used as a case study in
this research to describe the application of saltwater fraction/quantification and hydrogeochemistry
methods to evaluate the extent of saline intrusion in the coastal aquifers. The argument of the
research is that the presence of seawater incursion may be conclusively determined by combining the
examination of the major ions, seawater fraction, stable isotopes of water, bromide, and geochemical
modeling. Using stable isotopes of oxygen (18O) and deuterium (2H), major ions chemistry, seawater
composition, and geochemical modeling, the genesis of salinity and mixing of different water masses
were examined. Twenty-nine (29) samples of groundwater were examined. All samples showed
water facies of the Na-Cl type, indicating a seawater-related origin. The significance of mixing in
coastal aquifers under natural conditions was shown by the hydrogeochemical characteristics of key
ions derived from ionic ratios, which demonstrated substantial adherence to mixing lines among
endmembers for freshwater as well as saltwater (seawater).
Description
Keywords
Hydrochemistry, Groundwater, Salinization, Geochemical modeling, South Africa
Citation
Xaza, A. et al. (2023). Investigating seawater intrusion in republic of South Africa’s heuningnes, Cape Agulhas using hydrogeochemistry and seawater fraction techniques. Water, 15(11), 2141. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15112141