Mixing of water in a carbonate aquifer, southern Italy, analysed through stable isotope investigations

Mixing of water was analysed in a carbonate aquifer, southern Italy, through stable isotope investigations (18O,δ2H). The input signal (rainwater) was compared with the isotopic content of a 35-meter groundwater vertical prof ile, over a 1-year period. Within the studied aquifer, recharge and f low are diffuse in a well-connected f issure network.At the test site, the comparison between input and groundwater isotopic signals illustrates that no eff icient mixing takes place in the whole unsaturated zone, between the fresh inf iltration water and the stored water.When analysing the stable isotope composition of groundwater, signif icant variations were observed above the threshold elevation of 1062 m asl, while a nearly constant composition was observed below the same threshold. Thus, temporal variations in stable isotope composition of rainwater are completely attenuated just in the deeper phreatic zone.On the whole, taking into consideration also the results of previous studies in the same area, the investigations showed that physical characteristics of the carbonate bedrock, as well as aquifer heterogeneity, are factors of utmost importance in inf luencing the complete mixing of water. These f indings suggest a more complex scenario at catchment scale.