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Hydrochemical and isotopic investigation to characterize the effect of snowmelt infiltration on groundwater in a snowy landslide area of Japan

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Abstract

Snowmelt infiltration is one of the key factors that trigger landslides. This study focused on characterization of snowmelt infiltration in the Shimekake landslide block in northeastern Japan via long-term monitoring of major ion concentrations and stable isotope ratios of groundwater and precipitation. Results revealed seasonal variations of the d-excess values of precipitation, which were significantly higher in winter. Likewise, the d-excess values of the groundwater increased during the melting season. Groundwaters collected from 17 sites in the landslide blocks were classified into five types based on a comparison of hydrochemical and isotopic compositions between melting and non-melting seasons. Groundwater with significantly higher d-excess values during the melting season was diluted by infiltration of snowmelt, which resulted in a decrease in ion concentrations. Three groundwater types underwent large changes in electrical conductivity and/or ion concentrations during the melting season, even though the d-excess values did not change significantly. These groundwaters were inferred to have been affected by the arrival of groundwater with different chemical compositions as a result of elevation of the water table by infiltration of snowmelt. The fifth type of groundwater was less affected by snowmelt infiltration. The results indicated the existence of preferential subsurface flows and a heterogeneous flow system in this landslide block.

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Fig. 1

taken from the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan. The geological cross-section was modified from Terada et al. (2010)

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude to the Tohoku Regional Agricultural Administration Office for their help with our surveys.

Funding

This study was supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) (grant numbers 25892030 and 15K18760) and “Impact Assessment of the Increase of the Extremes on the Vulnerability of Water/Land Resources and Forestry” Project research of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Rural Engineering, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Japan

    Takeo Tsuchihara, Katsushi Shirahata, Shuhei Yoshimoto, Hiroomi Nakazato & Satoshi Ishida

  2. Faculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka, Japan

    Takehiko Okuyama

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  1. Takeo Tsuchihara
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  2. Takehiko Okuyama
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  3. Katsushi Shirahata
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  4. Shuhei Yoshimoto
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  5. Hiroomi Nakazato
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Correspondence to Takeo Tsuchihara.

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Tsuchihara, T., Okuyama, T., Shirahata, K. et al. Hydrochemical and isotopic investigation to characterize the effect of snowmelt infiltration on groundwater in a snowy landslide area of Japan. Environ Earth Sci 80, 444 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09722-3

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