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<br />L~l;j").; I <br /> <br />OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN ISOTOPES <br />DISTINGUISH FLOW PATHS <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />An alternative to OFB and Injection water that could caU!ie the Isotopic enrichment of selected waler <br />samples from the Navajo aquifer is the influence of lower-elevation recharge signatures more <br />characteristic of isotopically enriched arid4zone precipitation. In general. water samples along flow palh I <br />in the Navajo aquifer have distinctly lighter 51~O and 50 values relative to water ~ples along flow path <br />2 (figure below). Furthermore. water samples from flow path 2 appear to be more aligned with the <br />arid-zone meteoric water hnc. <br /> <br />Flow path I contains higher elevation recharge sources to the Navajo aquifer relative to flow path 2 <br />recharges sources (Freethey and Cordy. 1991. figs. 3 and 56) and these differences could cause the <br />different isotopic values. Two of the primary recharge areas to the Navajo aquifer along flow path I are <br />the Abajo and LaSalle Mountain Ranges which have land-surface elevations exceeding 10,000 feet above <br />sea level. In contrast, recharge areas for flow palh 2 are below 10.000 feet above sea level. The presence <br />of lower elevation recharge areas along flow path 2 could cause the larger isotopic values observed in <br />water from the Navajo aquifer relative to isotopic values in water samples collected along flow path 1 <br />(Rozanski and olhers. 1993. p. 5). For example. water from well N43 in the upgradlent part of flow path 2 <br />has a 51so value of 49.5 permil which is larger (han fWffiples from downgradient wells along flow path I. <br />The low chloride concentration in water from well N43 of 3.8 mgIL supports further that Ihis sample <br />represent~ recharge water. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />-70 <br /> <br /> <br />NORn-t A1\IERICAN <br />~8EORIC WAlER <br />UNE <br /> <br />.80 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />-90 <br /> <br />'" <br />" ARID-ZONE <br />MOlEORIC <br />WAlER UNE <br /> <br />i -100 <br />Z <br />ci <br /><0 <br /> <br />.110 <br /> <br />Well cOfT1)Jeled in Navajo aquiie,..Flow path 1 <br />Well cOfT1Jleted in Navajo aquife,..Flow path 2 <br />\1 Surface-watersarrple from Montezuml Creek <br />o Well COfTl)leted in non San ..kJan Aiver alluvial <br />aqurter <br />DWell cOfTl)leted in Upper Paleozoic aquiier <br />)I( COfT1)osite snow sarrple,Abajo Mountains <br />. Well COfTl)leled in Bluff Sands!one <br /> <br />-120 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />-130 <br />-17 <br /> <br />-16 <br /> <br />-15 <br /> <br />-14 -13 -12 -11 <br />1)'80. III FffiI,1L <br /> <br />-10 <br /> <br />-9 <br /> <br />-8 <br /> <br />Anerh ProgreJS Rl'I'Orruff.'hruary 1995 <br />