Estimating Mean Residence Time of Groundwater in Central Basin Erbil Using Environmental Isotopes is the study focuses on assessing how long groundwater remains underground before discharging or being extracted, using isotopic tracers as natural indicators. Environmental stable isotope analysis to determine the mean residence time (MRT) of groundwater in Erbil’s central basin. Focusing on the specific well in new hewler well (HWL), they utilized δ¹⁸O as a natural tracer, analyzing its variations in precipitation and groundwater samples. The isotopic data, sourced from the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP), were examined using cavity ring-down spectroscopy. By applying sine wave regression to the δ¹⁸O data, the study identified a significant attenuation in isotopic amplitude from 5.74‰ in precipitation to 0.277‰ in groundwater, indicating a phase shift. This analysis led to the estimation that groundwater in the HWL well has an MRT of approximately 1,202 days (about 3.3 years), reflecting the time taken for recharge water to reach the well. These findings offer valuable insights into the hydrogeological dynamics of the region, aiding in the sustainable management of groundwater resources in Erbil. 

4-11-2024 by Dr. Bruska Sardar Mamand