Hydrogeological, hydrogeochemical and isotopic study of coastal aquifer in southeastern bank of Urmia Lake

In recent years, along with the drying of Urmia Lake, groundwater quality in some areas of its coastal alluvial aquifers has been significantly deteriorated. Due to existence of evaporative geological formations, the remaining brine from the Urmia Lake and high evapotranspiration in the region, identifying the source of changes in groundwater quality is difficult in this area. In this research, it has been tried to evaluate the factors affecting the degradation of the quality and salinity of groundwater in the study area by stable isotopes of deuterium and oxygen-18 with some quality and quantity parameters of groundwater. The aquifers in the area are mainly caused by precipitation in the upstream of catchment areas and most likely flood from the melting snow. Therefore, reducing snowfall or changing the rainfall pattern from snow to rain effect on the quantitative and qualitative aquifers significantly in the study area. Exploitation of groundwater resources in the region could have a significant role in reducing the surface water into the lake.