Abstract: The lower reaches of the Sabarmati River Basin in Gujarat have intense agricultural and industrial activities and this part is affected by problems of groundwater salinity. Here we attempt to assess the processes governing the causes of groundwater salinity in the coastal alluvial aquifer, employing δ18O and δD isotopes in integration with ionic ratio. The different hydrochemical facies such Na–Mg–HCO3–Cl, Na–Cl–SO4, Na–Mg–Cl–HCO3–SO4 and Na–Cl of groundwater show the occurrence of complex geochemical phenomenon in the study area. Ionic ratio (such as Mg2+/Ca2+, Na+/Cl−, SO24/Cl-, K+/Cl−) and isotopic composition (δ18O and δD) of groundwater indicate that while in coastal areas seawater intrusion is taking place, in inland areas various anthropogenic activities and overexploitation have induced salinity in groundwater. Over-pumping of groundwater has also induced lateral intermixing of highly saline water in the vicinity of coastal areas with relatively fresh/low saline groundwater along specific flow pathways.

Abstract: In the southern coastal plain of Laizhou Bay, due to intensive exploitation of groundwater since the early 1970s, the shallow aquifer has been severely influenced by saltwater intrusion, which causes the extraction to shift from shallow to deeper aquifer changing the hydrogeological condition greatly. This study was conducted to investigate the groundwater salinization using hydrochemistry and H, O and Li isotope data. Dissolved Li shows a linear correlation with Cl and Br in seawater, brine and saline groundwater indicating the marine Li source, whereas the enrichment of Li in surface water, brackish and fresh groundwater is impacted by dissolution of silicate minerals. The analyses of hydrochemistry and isotopes (H, O and Li) indicate that brine originated from seawater evaporation, followed by mixing processes and some water-rock interactions; shallow saline groundwater originated from brine diluted with seawater and fresh groundwater; deep saline groundwater originated from seawater intrusion. The negative correlation of δ(7)Li and Li/Na in surface water, brackish and fresh groundwater is contrary to the general conclusion, indicating the slow weathering of silicate minerals and hydraulic interaction between surface water and shallow groundwater in this area. The analyses of hydrochemistry and isotopes (Li, H and O) can well identify the salinity sources and isotope fractionation in groundwater flow and mixing, especially groundwater with high TDS. As both mixing with saltwater and isotope fractionation can explain the combination of high δ(7)Li and low TDS in brackish groundwater, isotope fractionation may limit their use in recognizing salinity sources of groundwater with low TDS.