Stable Water Isotope Study of a Mesoscale Precambrian Shield Basin for Improved Model Predictions of Water Quantity and Quality

通过我们的流域水循环的研究是至关重要的，以提高我们的能力，预测人类活动（如城市和农业土地利用，气候变化）对淡水资源的影响。在区域范围内，前寒武纪盾湖显示出越来越多的有害藻类水华（HABs），营养物质输入（如磷）和气候条件可能是促成因素。计算机模型是帮助预测未来对水资源影响的主要工具，但其使用具有很大的不确定性。水循环研究可以产生重要的见解，了解水是如何储存和释放到我们的水道，改善这些模型。最近的技术降低了成本，提高了分析水和蒸汽样品中水分子的氧和氢同位素的能力。天然水同位素的比值可以区分径流中水源的混合（如融雪，地下水）和蒸发的影响，这提供了重要的水文过程在相关的流域管理和决策尺度的新证据。尼皮辛湖和法国河是流入格鲁吉亚湾的重要水源支流的一部分。该湖及其13，000平方公里的分水岭是当地市政当局和第一民族社区的水源，是第一民族渔业和安大略5%的休闲垂钓的所在地，每年为安大略的经济贡献约1亿美元。该研究项目将在尼皮辛大学新的流域分析中心开展，应用水同位素技术来提高对斯特金河-尼皮辛湖-法国河（SNF）流域水运动的了解。它将具体评价融雪、地下水和地表水（如湖泊、湿地、水库）在流量高低期间和若干年内对季节性径流的贡献，并掌握输入的年内和年间变化。将评估景观特征（地质、土壤、地形、自然和人为土地覆盖/使用）对径流产生的影响。SNF盆地的研究结果将为前寒武纪盾状盆地的水循环提供新的见解，这些盆地受到人类活动（城市化，农业活动）的重大影响，并在评估水循环影响方面采用先进的研究方法，这些方法将用于改善对我们淡水资源未来的预测。

The study of the cycling of water through our watersheds is critical to improve our ability to predict the impact of human activities (e.g. urban and agricultural landuse, climate change) on freshwater resources. Regionally, Precambrian shield lakes are showing an increasing number of harmful algae blooms (HABs) with nutrient inputs (e.g phosphorus) and climate conditions likely contributing factors. Computer models are primary tools that help predict future impacts on water resources but their use comes with large uncertainties. Water cycling studies can generate important insights into how water is stored and released to our waterways, improving these models. Recent technology has reduced the cost and improved the ability to analyze water and vapor samples for isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen of the water molecule. Ratios of naturally occurring water isotopes can distinguish the mixture of water sources in streamflow (e.g. snowmelt, groundwater) and the influence of evaporation which provides new evidence of important hydrological processes at scales relevant to watershed management and decision making. Lake Nipissing and the French River are part of an important headwater tributary that flows into Georgian Bay. The lake, and its 13,000 km2 watershed is the source of water to local municipalities and First Nation communities, home to a First Nations fishery and 5% of Ontario's recreational angling, and contributes an estimated $100 million/year to Ontario's economy. Based at Nipissing University's new Watershed Analysis Centre, this research program will apply water isotope technology to improve understanding of water movement in the Sturgeon River-Lake Nipissing-French River (SNF) basin. It will specifically evaluate contributions of snowmelt, groundwater and surface water (e.g. lakes, wetlands, reservoirs) to seasonal streamflow during high and low flows and over several years, capturing inter- and intra-year variability in inputs. The influence of landscape characteristics (geology, soils, topography, natural and human-induced landcover/use) on streamflow generation will be assessed. Findings from the SNF basin will provide new insights into water cycling for Precambrian shield basins with significant influences of anthropogenic activities (urbanization, agricultural activity) and advance research approaches in assessing impacts on water cycling that will be used for improved predictions of the future of our freshwater resources on a broad scale.