Content uploaded by Xiaorui He
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Xiaorui He on Mar 14, 2019
Content may be subject to copyright.
PAPER
Hydrochemical processes and evolution of karst groundwater
in the northeastern Huaibei Plain, China
Jiazhong Qian
1
&Yinxue Peng
2
&Weidong Zhao
1
&Lei Ma
1
&Xiaorui He
1
&YueHan Lu
3
Received: 15 October 2017 /Accepted: 16 May 2018 /Publis hed online: 6 June 2018
#Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2018
Abstract
Major ion geochemistry reveals that the hydrochemical evolutionary process of karst groundwater in the northeastern Huaibei Plain,
China, consists of three sub-processes: the dissolution of dolomite, gypsum dissolution with dedolomitization, and mixing with
overlying pore water. Understanding hydrochemical evolution has been an important topic in understanding the history, status, and
dynamics of the groundwater flow system. The presented study found a hydrochemical boundary roughly corresponding to the
thickness of overlying strata equating to 50 m depth, indicating two flow compartments participating in different hydrological
cycles—a local shallow rapidly replenished compartment showing lower and more stable main ion concentrations, and a regional
deep-flow compartment showing higher and sporadic concentrations of Na
+
,K
+
,Ca
2+
,Mg
2+
,Cl
−
and SO
4
2−
,aswellashightotal
dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness, and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR). In areas with aquifers with low water transmitting ability,
groundwater samples show a high chloride ratio and elevated TDS values, indicating salinization of groundwater due to stagnant water
flows. Analyses of the data on the saturation indexes and mineral solutions, in tandem with trilinear diagram analysis and petrological
observations, indicate that dedolomitization is the dominant process controlling the chemical characteristics of karst groundwater in the
study area. Groundwater and pore-water mixing was also observed at the later evolutionary stage of groundwater flow, demonstrating
frequent groundwater/pore-water interactions where groundwater is recharged by pore water due to lower groundwater level in the
study area.
Keywords Hydrochemistry .Dedolomitization .Karst .China .Major ion geochemistry
Introduction
Karst aquifers are an important groundwater resource commonly
seen worldwide (Doerfliger et al. 2009). The karst aquifer system
in Huaibei Plain, China, has served as an important source of
water for domestic and industrial activities over the past decade
(Yin et al. 2012). Previous studies have focused mostly on esti-
mating total water yield from this aquifer and optimizing
management strategies (Tóth 1963;White2002; Yin et al.
2011,2012;Zhuetal.2014). Fewer geochemical studies have
been conducted on the karst aquifers in the Huaibei Plain (e.g.,
He et al. 2016;WangandZhan2015;Huetal.2015), but no
studies to date have focused on understanding groundwater
hydrochemical evolution. Reconstructing hydrochemical evolu-
tion in aquifers provides important information about the nature
of the aquifer rocks, geochemical processes governing water–
rock interactions, as well as groundwater flow attributes such
as residence time and hydraulic conductivity (Schwartz et
al. 1981; Edmunds et al. 1982; Moral et al. 2008).
It has been proved that major ion geochemistry is a pow-
erful tool in identifying hydrochemical processes in karst
aquifers. Wicks and Engeln (1997) studied a 3.7 km flow path
along the main stream channel in Devils Icebox Cave, Boone
County, Missouri, USA. Combining major ion geochemistry
and a mass-balance approach, they found that the composition
of the water was controlled by the dissolution of dolomite,
CO
2
exchange with the atmosphere, and microbial
degradation of organic matter. Ma et al. (2011)analyzedmajor
Published in the special issue BGroundwater sustainability in fast-
developing China^
*Weidong Zhao
zhaowd@hfut.edu.cn
1
School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei
University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People’s Republic of China
2
Geological Survey of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210018, People’s
Republic of China
3
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Alabama,
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
Hydrogeology Journal (2018) 26:1721–1729
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-018-1805-3
ions and trace elements to understand the hydrogeochemical
process of the karst groundwater system in Taiyuan, North
China. They found that dedolomitization was the primary
hydrochemical process in the recharge area, and carbonate
precipitation led to high concentrations of fluoride ions in
thermal groundwater. In the present study, a series of major
ion geochemical parameters was analyzed in a large number
of groundwater samples (>200) to determine processes regu-
lating the hydrochemical evolution of the karst aquifer in the
northeastern Huaibei Plain, China (Qian et al. 2016).
Materials and methods
Study area
Physiography and meteorology
The study site is located in the northeastern Huaibei Plain,
which is situated in the Huai River basin in the north of
Anhui Province, China (Fig. 1). The landscape comprises
broad valleys alternating with hills and foothills ranging be-
tween 80 and 400 m above sea level (asl) in elevation. The
hills extend along the same direction of the main tectonic line
of the region (i.e., NNE). The bedrock is characterized by
Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic carbonate rocks nipping clastic
rocks, intrusive rocks, and dikes of concordant intrusion.
Piedmont and inter-mountainous plains extending around the
hills are composed mainly of alluvial or diluvia layers. The
alluvial layer consists of silts (Holocene) that are generally
less than 10 m in thickness and the diluvial layer consists of
silty clay and silty, fine sands (middle and late Pleistocene)
generally less than 10–40 m in thickness (Fig. 1).
The Huaibei Plain has a temperate, semi-humid monsoon
climate that is characterized by hot rainy summers, cold dry
winters, and dry springs and autumns. Over the past 10 years,
the mean annual temperature ranged between 11 and 14 °C
and the mean annual precipitation fluctuated between 600 and
1,400 mm, with relative humidity varying from 65 to 80%.
Annual evaporation from surface waters and evapotranspira-
tion from land surfaces were in the range of 800–1,200 and
500–800 mm, respectively. For subcatchments in the Huaibei
Plain, annual runoff depth was estimated to range between 50
and 1,000 mm, and the annual runoff coefficient (determined
by dividing the runoff volume by precipitation) varied from
0.1 to 0.6.
Local geology and aquifers
The study area is part of the Huabei belt, situated in the Xu-
Huai zone in the North China landmass. Stratigraphic sections
include the Neoproterozoic (Qingbaikou, Nanhua and Sinian),
Paleozoic (Cambrian, Ordovician and Carboniferous), and
Quaternary strata (Pliocene, late Pleistocene, middle
Pleistocene and Holocene; Fig. 1a,b). The groundwater sys-
tem consists of karst water in carbonate aquifers that are pres-
ent in Neoproterozoic, Cambrian, Ordovician, and
Carboniferous strata as well as pore water distributed in loose
Quaternary sediments. The karst-water-flow system is con-
trolled by geological structures within an arc-shaped tectonic
framework, where large folds and fractures coexist along a
gentle NNE axis (Fig. 1b). Fold structures include anticlinoria
and synclinoria that comprise Da Wuji syncline, Xiao Xian
anticline, Zha He syncline, Man Dingshan anticline and Zhi
He syncline (from west to east). The anticlinoria are mainly
composed of Cambrian, Ordovician, and Carboniferous strata
(Fig. 1b). The northern part of the anticlinoria is exposed to
the surface forming hills and foothills, and the southern part is
concealed below loose sediments. The synclinoria consist pri-
marily of Permian and Triassic strata and are largely covered
by loose sediments. Four major groups of faults exist in this
area, including a NNE compression-shear fault, EW tension
fault, NE conjugate shear fault, and a NW conjugate shear
fault. The NNE and EW faults cut through the karst strata,
thereby creating a hydraulic connection among different parts
of the karst aquifer.
The natural groundwater system of the study area can be
partitioned into shallow local and deep regional flow compart-
ments. Shallow karst aquifers are recharged by precipitation in
areas with prevalent carbonate outcrops and discharge to the
surface via nearby springs, lakes, and swamps. This circula-
tion forms the shallow local flow compartment that is bounded
by a low-permeability Mesozoic and Cenozoic red bed to the
south of the Subei fault (see Fig. 1). For the deeper regional
compartment, karst groundwater flowing southward recharges
into deeper regional karst aquifers. Along the low-
permeability red bed, this flow is slowed and recharges into
overlying pore water through faults. In recent years, the
groundwater flow systems have been significantly altered by
anthropogenic activities including groundwater exploitation
and mine dewatering. Artesian systems have disappeared en-
tirely. The level of karst water has dropped largely below the
level of pore water, leading to reversed recharge, i.e., karst
aquifer recharged by overlying pore water. Furthermore, both
karst water and pore water have begun to migrate toward the
cones of depression generated by groundwater pumping.
Water samples collection
In the present study, a total of 228 water samples were collect-
ed (Anhui Institute of Geological Survey 2010), including 192
groundwater samples from karst aquifers, 36 pore water sam-
ples, and 19 samples from karst springs (Fig. 1a). The pH
values of all groundwater samples were measured in situ using
a portable pH meter (Orion 290 A). The groundwater samples
were collected in acid-washed polyethylene bottles, and all
1722 Hydrogeol J (2018) 26:1721–1729
Fig. 1 Location and geological context of the study area in China: alocation of groundwater and pore water samples on a geology map of the area; b
geological profile along the line A–A′. The contour lines (a) represent the aquifer depth
Hydrogeol J (2018) 26:1721–1729 1723
chemical analyses were completed at the Geochemical
Laboratory at the First Institute of Hydrology and
Engineering Geological Prospecting, Anhui Geological
Prospecting Bureau. Groundwater samples were filtered
through 0.45-μm Millipore filters in the laboratory (DZT
1993). Filtrates were analyzed by ion chromatography (PIC-
10) for the concentrations of Cl
−
,SO
4
2−
,NO
3
−
and NO
2
−
and
on an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrom-
eter (ICPS-1000 ШC, Shimadzu) for the concentrations of
Na
+
,K
+
,Ca
2+
and Mg
2+
. Bicarbonate ions (HCO
3
−
) were
determined via titration with hydrochloric acid (HCl; Rowell
1994). Total dissolved solids (TDS) were computed by the
standard method (Ayers and Westcot 1985; Table 1). SAR
(sodium absorption ratio) and SI (saturation index, including
saturation indexes of calcite, dolomite, gypsum and fluorite)
were calculated following the method described by Richards
(1954), see also Table 2).
Results and discussion
Karst water composition vs. depth
The chemical composition of karst water changes with the
thickness of overlying strata. There is a change in chemical
composition at the thickness around 50 m (dashed line in Fig.
2). Thus, for water samples taken at a depth of less than 50 m
(i.e. overlying strata thickness less than 50 m), the concentra-
tions of Na
+
,K
+
,Ca
2+
,Mg
2+
,Cl
−
and SO
4
2−
and the values of
several hydrochemical indicators (including TDS, total hard-
ness, SAR) are lower and stable, in comparison to those sam-
ples taken at a depth below 50 m (i.e. overlying strata thick-
ness greater than 50 m). This pattern indicates a
hydrochemical boundary at around 50 m below the ground
surface. This observation provides support to the conceptual
view that two flow compartments exist in the study area, and
this hydrochemical boundary perhaps corresponds to the tran-
sition zone from the local shallow compartment to the regional
deep flow compartment. Relative to the deep flows, the shal-
low flows are characterized by a higher groundwater renewal
rate, which leads to a lower extent of leaching and thus lower
concentrations of major ions in groundwater.
The concentrations of inorganic nitrogen ions (i.e., NO
3
−
and NO
2
−
) exhibit a pattern opposite to that of other major
ions (Fig. 2). Most samples have relatively low and stable
values except for a few samples above the 50 m boundary.
These high values could be a result of nutrient pollution from
agricultural and urban activities in the northeastern Huaibei
plain (Qian et al. 2015;Yangetal.2010).
Geochemical processes in the karst aquifer
According to the mineral dissolution diagrams (Fig. 3),
dedolomitization may dominate the formation and evolution
of chemical constituents in the karst water. The spring water
and groundwater samples taken from locations with overlying
strata thickness < 20 and 20–50 m fall largely along the dolo-
mite dissolution line but deviate from the dedolomitization line.
By comparison, most samples taken from locations with over-
lying strata thickness > 50 m deviate from the dolomite disso-
lution line and tend to move away as the thickness increases but
all along the dedolomitization line (Fig. 3a,b). This pattern
indicates the increasing importance of dedolomitization with
depth. The significant positive correlation between SO
4
2−
vs
Mg
2+
or Ca
2+
(p= 0.000, r=0.836 for SO
4
2−
vs Mg
2+
and p
< 0.001, r= 0.903 for SO
4
2−
vs Ca
2+
) for water samples with
Table 1 Descriptive statistics for groundwater and pore-water samples in the northeastern Huaibei Plain, China. SD standard deviation
Parameter
a
Karst groundwater Pore water
Min Max Mean SD Skewness Min Max Mean SD Skewness
K
+
+Na
+
1.48 711.00 37.07 74.97 5.55 6.60 1,423.60 152.55 265.95 3.62
Ca
2+
9.12 334.70 87.13 38.13 3.72 41.50 426.05 108.42 73.96 3.11
Mg
2+
0.00 200.60 26.01 21.17 4.30 13.90 930.48 69.20 151.45 5.56
Cl
−
1.40 1,077.10 28.64 87.04 9.85 3.90 476.54 76.13 109.41 2.21
SO
4
2−
0.00 1,975.00 92.56 218.98 5.42 10.60 6,503.64 402.76 1,109.52 5.08
HCO
3
−
8.80 530.70 314.77 66.25 −0.33 301.51 632.20 444.39 93.37 0.61
NO
3
−
0.00 81.00 7.36 8.48 5.19 0.00 15.00 2.38 4.28 1.97
NO
2
−
0.00 1.20 0.04 0.12 6.72 0.00 0.80 0.03 0.13 5.71
TDS 137.00 3,395.25 430.65 385.53 4.39 308.13 10,028.49 1,031.26 1,687.69 4.68
pH 6.24 8.85 7.84 0.27 −1.03 7.43 8.35 8.01 0.21 −0.69
SAR 0.04 22.32 0.76 1.78 9.58 0.07 8.99 2.35 2.54 1.40
a
Concentration of ions and TDS in mg/L
1724 Hydrogeol J (2018) 26:1721–1729
the overlying strata thickness > 50 m provides additional sup-
port for the importance of the dedolomitization process (Fig. 4).
In addition, most samples do not closely follow the calcite
dissolution line (Fig. 3). The rock core records from the study
Table 2 Descriptive statistics of
saturation indexes (SI) for
groundwater samples in the
northeaster Huaibei Plain, China.
SD standard deviation
SI Min Max Mean SD Skewness Percentage of samples
SI > 20%
(supersaturated)
SI = 0 ± 20%
(equilibrium)
SI < −20%
(undersaturated)
SIC −0.99 2.11 0.76 0.35 −0.20 96.83% 2.12% 1.06%
SID −2.52 4.79 1.36 0..80 −0.17 94.68% 3.19% 2.13%
SIG −3.04 0.26 −1.65 0.57 0.87 0.53% 2.14% 97.33%
SIF −3.18 −0.17 −1.91 0.66 0.50 0.00% 0.68% 99.32%
SIC calcite saturation index; SID dolomite saturation index; SIG gypsum saturation index; SIF fluorite saturation
index
Fig. 2 Changes in major ions and hydrochemical indicators with the thickness of overlying strata for karst groundwater samples from the northeastern
Huaibei Plain
Hydrogeol J (2018) 26:1721–1729 1725
area show the prevalence of calcite films, crystals, and crystal-
loid clusters on fracture surfaces as well as within interlaminar
fractures or dissolution pores. The deviation from the calcite
dissolution line in the samples is perhaps because of the brevity
of the phase dominated by calcite dissolution.
Most samples fall above the halite dissolution line
(Na:Cl ratios greater than 1.0), suggesting that Na and
Cl ions are derived mainly from dissolution of silicate
and aluminosilicate minerals. With two exceptions
(ZK70 and Q7-1), samples near the halite dissolution line
(i.e., those with Na:Cl between 0.8 and 1.0) have low
concentrations of Cl
−
(<0.5 mmol/L), indicating that the
samples may come from meteoric water and should not be
considered to derived mainly from halite dissolution (Fig.
5). The two water samples, ZK70 and Q7-1, are also no-
table as having unusually high TDS values (>1,500 mg/
L). Their Na:Cl ratios are near 1, suggesting that the two
sample points are distributed approximately along the ha-
lite dissolution line, and they have much higher Cl
−
con-
centrations than other samples (Figs. 4and 5). This pat-
tern may suggest a salinization process at the two sites.
This interpretation was further supported by the low trans-
missivity coefficients (0.022–330.9 m
2
/day) of karst aqui-
fers exposed by the boreholes drilled at the sites ZK70
and Q7-1. For the ZK70 bore, there was no evident
water-bearing section, which suggests a dry stagnant aqui-
fer at the site. Since NO
3
−
and NO
2
−
concentrations are
extremely low (i.e., near detection limits) in samples at
ZK70 and Q7-1, this salinization process is probably not
related to manmade pollution. It is also notable that seven
groundwater samples have TDS above 1,100 mg/L
(Fig. 4), apart from ZK70 and Q711. Five of these sam-
ples correspond to boreholes with low transmissivity co-
efficients and, for the samples with highest TDS value, it
Fig. 3 Karst groundwater samples from the northeastern Huaibei Plain, plotted relative to mineral dissolution (dis’n) lines: adolomite dissolution, b
dedolomitization, ccalcite dissolution, and dgypsum dissolution
1726 Hydrogeol J (2018) 26:1721–1729
was observed that water level was difficult to restore after
pumping. These observations show that salinization due
to lowered groundwater level has influenced part of the
aquifer.
SIC (calcite saturation index) and SID (dolomite saturation
index) are above zero for all water samples with only a few
exceptions, indicating that most water samples are supersatu-
rated with respect to both calcite and dolomite. This is
Fig. 4 a–dRelations of sulfate, calcium and magnesium ions in karst groundwater from the northeastern Huaibei Plain
Fig. 5 The ratio of sodium over
chloride ions versus chloride
concentration in karst
groundwater from the
northeastern Huaibei Plain
Hydrogeol J (2018) 26:1721–1729 1727
consistent with the rock core records showing the prevalence
of various calcite forms. SIG (gypsum saturation index) and
SIF (fluorite saturation index) are below zero for all water
samples, indicating that most water samples are undersaturat-
ed regarding gypsum and fluorite (Table 2). These results will
provide some new insights to understand the hydrochemical
processes of karst groundwater.
Hydrochemical processes and evolution
from the Piper trilinear diagram
Piper trilinear diagrams provide information about
hydrochemical processes and evolution of groundwater
(Mayo et al. 2007; Back and Hanshaw 1970; Sun et al.
2016). In the samples, three main hydrochemical processes
governing the evolution pathway of karst water are identified
from the Piper trilinear diagram (Fig. 6): the dissolution of
dolomite (incongruent dissolution of calcite-dolomite), gyp-
sum dissolution with dedolomitization, and mixing of pore
and karst waters. Despite different distributions for karst vs.
pore water at the early stage, they gradually merge with in-
creasing TDS (Fig. 6), suggesting the mixing of pore and karst
waters. This observation demonstrates that pore water and
karst water are well-connected hydraulically, in agreement
with the understanding that frequent interactions exist be-
tween karst water and groundwater in the study area. It was
thought that pore water is recharged by groundwater under
natural conditions but the direction of recharge recently
Fig. 6 Karst groundwater and pore water from the northeastern Huaibei Plain, plotted on a trilinear diagram
1728 Hydrogeol J (2018) 26:1721–1729
reversed because of extensive exploitation of groundwater in
the area.
Conclusions
In conclusion, the hydrochemical evolutionary process of
karst groundwater in the northeast of Huaibei Plain consist
of three sub-processes: the dissolution of dolomite (incongru-
ent dissolution of calcite-dolomite), gypsum dissolution with
dedolomitization, and mixing between groundwater and over-
lying pore water. A hydrochemical boundary was observed at
around 50 m below the ground surface, and groundwater
above this boundary has lower and more stable concentrations
of Na
+
,K
+
,Ca
2+
,Mg
2+
,Cl
−
and SO
4
2−
, TDS and total hard-
ness and values of SAR. This boundary provides further sup-
port to the existing conceptual view that there exists two flow
compartments in aquifers of the study area, a local shallow
compartment and a regional deep flow compartment. A small
number of samples show compositions indicative of saliniza-
tion processes, which is consistent with the weak water trans-
mitting ability of the corresponding aquifer rocks and indi-
catespoorstagnantflows.
Funding information This study was supported by National Natural
Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41772250 and 41602256), the
Science and Technology Program of Land and Resources of Anhui
Province (2012-k-15) and Public Welfare Geological Survey Program
of Anhui Province (2015-g-26).
References
Anhui Institute of Geological Survey 2010 The investigation and evalu-
ation of groundwater environment evolution in Huaibei Plain of
Anhui Province, China. Anhui Institute of Geological Survey,
Anhui, China
Ayers RS, Westcot DW (1985) Water quality of agriculture. FAO
Irrigation and Drainage Paper 29, Rev. 1. FAO, Rome, pp 29–31
Back W, Hanshaw BB (1970) Comparison of chemical hydrogeology of the
carbonate peninsulas of Florida and Yucatan. J Hydrol 10(4):330–368
Doerfliger N, Freuly P, Ladouche B (2009) Inverse modeling approach to
allogenic karst system characterization. Ground Water 47(3):414–426
DZT (1993) Collection and preservation methods of water samples for
groundwater test (in Chinese). DZT 0064.2-1993, Ministry of Land
and Resources of China, Beijing, pp 1–10
Edmunds WM, Bath AH, Miles DL (1982) Hydrochemical evolution of
the East Midlands Triassic sandstone aquifer, England. Geochim
Cosmochim Acta 46(11):2069–2081
He XR, Liu ZF, Qian JZ, Zhao WD, Liu Y (2016) Distribution of nitrate
in different aquifers in the Urban District of Zhanjiang, China. Bull
Environ Contam Toxicol 97:279–285
Hu YH, Wang XM, Dong ZB, Liu GJ (2015) Determination of heavy
metals in the groundwater of the Huaibei Plain, China, to character-
ize potential effects on human health. Anal Lett 48(2):349–359
Ma R, Wang YX, Sun ZY, Zheng CM, Ma T, Prommer H (2011)
Geochemical evolution of groundwater in carbonate aquifers in
Taiyuan, northern China. Appl Geochem 26(5):884–897
Mayo AL, Davey A, Christiansen D (2007) Groundwater flow patterns in
the San Luis Valley, Colorado, USA revisited: an evaluation of sol-
ute and isotopic data. Hydrogeol J 15(2):383–408
Moral F, Cruz-Sanjulián JJ, Olías M (2008) Geochemical evolution of
groundwater in the carbonate aquifers of Sierra de Segura (Betic
Cordillera, southern Spain). J Hydrol 360(1–4):281–296
Qian JZ, Wang LL, Liu Y, Wu B, Wang XM (2015) Distribution of nitrate
and its implication for the contaminant source in groundwater of
Huaibei Plain, Anhui Province. Geosci J 19(3):537–545
Qian JZ, Wang L, Ma L, Lu YH, Zhao WD, Zhang Y (2016) Multivariate
statistical analysis of water chemistry in evaluating groundwater
geochemical evolution and aquifer connectivity near a large coal
mine, Anhui, China. Environ Earth Sci 75(9):747. https://doi.org/
10.1007/s12665-016-5541-5
Richards LA(1954) Diagnosis and improvement of saline and alkali soils.
Hand Book 60, US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC
Rowell DL (1994) Soil science: methods and applications. Wiley, New
York
Schwartz FW, Muehlenbachs K, Chorley DW (1981) Flow-system con-
trols of the chemical evolution of groundwater. J Hydrol 54(1):225–
243
Sun ZY, Ma R, Wang YX, Hu YL, Sun LJ (2016) Hydrogeological and
hydrogeochemical control of groundwater salinity in an arid inland
basin: Dunhuang Basin, northwestern China. Hydrol Process 30:
1884–1902
Tóth J (1963) A theoretical analysis of groundwater flow in small drain-
age basins. J Geophys Res 68(16):4795–4812
Wang Q, Zhan H (2015) On different numerical inverse Laplace methods
for solute transport problems. Adv Water Resour 75:80–92
White WB (2002) Karst hydrology: recent developments and open ques-
tions. Eng Geol 65(2–3):85–105
Wicks CM, Engeln JF (1997) Geochemical evolution of a karst stream in
Devils Icebox Cave, Missouri, USA. J Hydrol 198(1–4):30–41
Yang C, Lin Z, Yu Z, Hao Z, Liu S (2010) Analysis and simulation of
human activity impact on streamflow in the Huaihe River basin with
a large-scale hydrologic model. J Hydrometeorol 11:810–821
Yin D, Shu LC, Chen XH, Wang ZL, Mohammed ME (2011)
Assessment of sustainable yield of karst water in Huaibei, China.
Water Resour Manag 25(1):287–300. https://doi.org/10.1007/
s11269-010-9699-4
Yin D, Shu LC, Xu CD, Wang ZL, Appiah-Adjei EK (2012) An approach
for estimating sustainable yield of karst water in data sparse regions.
Environ Earth Sci 66(2):399–407. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-
011-1247-x
Zhu B, Yang JW, Wu Q (2014) Aquifer system incremental linear prop-
erty and its application on groundwater management. Environ Earth
Sci 71(5):2373–2389. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2638-y
Hydrogeol J (2018) 26:1721–1729 1729
