Karst Trough Control of Solute Transport Processes at Two Karst Groundwater Flow Systems, Western Hubei, Central China

Yi'an Wang; Ruichao Zhao; Lin Ding; Shuai Xiong; Yin Li; Jianwei Bu; Wei Chen; Hong Zhou; Wei Liu

doi:10.1007/s12583-022-1665-6

Volume 36 Issue 4

Aug 2025

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Journal of Earth Science > 2025 > 36(4): 1731-1741.

Yi'an Wang, Ruichao Zhao, Lin Ding, Shuai Xiong, Yin Li, Jianwei Bu, Wei Chen, Hong Zhou, Wei Liu. Karst Trough Control of Solute Transport Processes at Two Karst Groundwater Flow Systems, Western Hubei, Central China. Journal of Earth Science, 2025, 36(4): 1731-1741. doi: 10.1007/s12583-022-1665-6

Citation:

Yi'an Wang, Ruichao Zhao, Lin Ding, Shuai Xiong, Yin Li, Jianwei Bu, Wei Chen, Hong Zhou, Wei Liu. Karst Trough Control of Solute Transport Processes at Two Karst Groundwater Flow Systems, Western Hubei, Central China. Journal of Earth Science, 2025, 36(4): 1731-1741. doi: 10.1007/s12583-022-1665-6

Citation:

Yi'an Wang, Ruichao Zhao, Lin Ding, Shuai Xiong, Yin Li, Jianwei Bu, Wei Chen, Hong Zhou, Wei Liu. Karst Trough Control of Solute Transport Processes at Two Karst Groundwater Flow Systems, Western Hubei, Central China. Journal of Earth Science, 2025, 36(4): 1731-1741. doi: 10.1007/s12583-022-1665-6

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Karst Trough Control of Solute Transport Processes at Two Karst Groundwater Flow Systems, Western Hubei, Central China

doi: 10.1007/s12583-022-1665-6

Yi'an Wang¹,
Ruichao Zhao¹,
Lin Ding¹,
Shuai Xiong¹,
Yin Li²,
Jianwei Bu³,
Wei Chen^{3, 4, 5, 6, 7},
Hong Zhou¹,
Wei Liu^{1, 5, 7, 8
,
,}

1.
Institute of Geological Survey, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
2.
Geological Environmental Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430056, China
3.
School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430078, China
4.
State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430078, China
5.
Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Water Science in the Yangtze River Basin, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430078, China
6.
Hubei Provincial Engineering Research Center of Systematic Water Pollution Control, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430078, China
7.
Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MNR & Guangxi, Institute of Karst Geology, CAGS, Guilin 541004, China
8.
Key Laboratory of Karst Ecosystem and Treatment of Rocky Desertification, Institute of Karst Geology, CAGS, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guilin 541004, China

More Information

Corresponding author: Wei Liu, wliu@cug.edu.cn
Received Date: 30 Dec 2021
Accepted Date: 01 Apr 2022
Issue Publish Date: 30 Aug 2025

Abstract

Abstract

To investigate groundwater flow and solute transport characteristics of the karst trough zone in China, tracer experiments were conducted at two adjacent typical karst groundwater flow systems (Yuquandong (YQD) and Migongquan (MGQ)) in Sixi valley, western Hubei, China. High-resolution continuous monitoring was utilized to obtain breakthrough curves (BTCs), which were then analyzed using the multi-dispersion model (MDM) and the two-region nonequilibrium model (2RNE) with basic parameters calculated by CXTFIT and QTRACER2.Results showed that: (1) YQD flow system had a complex infiltration matrix with overland flow, conduit flow and fracture flow, while the MGQ flow system was dominated by conduit flow with fast flow transport velocity, but also small amount of fracture flow there; (2) They were well fitted based on the MDM (R² = 0.928) and 2RNE (R² = 0.947) models, indicating that they had strong adaptability in the karst trough zone; (3) conceptual models for YQD and MGQ groundwater systems were generalized. In YQD system, the solute was transported via overland flow during intense rainfall, while some infiltrated down into fissures and conduits. In MGQ system, most were directly transported to spring outlet in the fissure-conduit network.
- Central China,
- conceptual model,
- karst trough zone,
- multi-dispersion model and two-region nonequilibrium model,
- solute transport processes,
- tracer tests,
- solute transport,
- groundwater flow

Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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References(44)

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