Temporal and Spatial Variation of Surface Water Stable Isotopes in the Marys River Basin, Oregon

Abstract:

Understanding the temporal and spatial variability of water sources within a basin is vital to our ability to manage the impacts of climate variability and land cover change. Water stable isotopes can be used as a tool to determine geographic and seasonal sources of water at the basin scale. Previous studies in the Coastal Range of Oregon reported that the variation in the isotopic signatures of surface water does not conform to the commonly observed “rainout effect”, which exhibits a trend of increasing isotopic depletion with rising elevation. The primary purpose of this research is to investigate the mechanisms governing seasonal and spatial variations in the isotopic signature of surface waters within the Marys River Basin, located in the Oregon Coastal Range. We hypothesize that catchment orientation, drainage area, geology, and topography act as controlling factors on groundwater flow, storage, and atmospheric moisture cycling, which explain variations in source water contribution.  Surface water and precipitation samples were collected every 2-3 weeks for isotopic analysis of δ¹⁸O and δ²H for one year. Preliminary results indicate a significant difference (p<0.001) in isotopic signature between watersheds underlain by basalt and sandstone. The degree of separation is the most distinct during the summer when low flows likely reflect deeper groundwater sources, whereas isotopic signatures during the rainy season (fall & winter) show a greater degree of similarity between the two lithologies. These findings indicate that the more permeable sandstone formations may be hydrologically connected to enriched water sources on the windward side of the Coastal Range that sustain baseflow within catchments on the leeward side, while streams draining basalt catchments are fed by a more depleted source of water (e.g. precipitation originating within the Marys River Basin).