Transmission Losses and Soil Moisture Dynamics in the Alluvial Fill of the Kuiseb River, Namibia
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Institut für Hydrologie der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg i. Br. Andrea Ursula Schmitz Transmission losses and soil moisture dynamics in the alluvial fill of the Kuiseb river, Namibia Diplomarbeit unter der Leitung von Prof. Dr. Ch. Leibundgut Freiburg i. Br., September 2004 Institut für Hydrologie der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg i. Br. Transmission losses and soil moisture dynamics in the alluvial fill of the Kuiseb river, Namibia Andrea Ursula Schmitz Referent: Prof. Dr. Ch. Leibundgut Koreferent: Dr. J. Lange Diplomarbeit unter der Leitung von Prof. Dr. Ch. Leibundgut Freiburg i.Br., September 2004 Table of Contents I Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES...................................................................................................................................... III LIST OF TABLES.........................................................................................................................................V TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE ANNEX ..................................................................................................VI SUMMARY...................................................................................................................... VII ZUSAMMENFASSUNG ................................................................................................... IX 1 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................1 2 RESEARCH AREA .....................................................................................................4 2.1 Gobabeb......................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1.1 Climate ............................................................................................................................................ 5 2.1.2 Geology / Geohydrology / Vegetation .............................................................................................6 2.1.3 Flood occurrence and runoff at Gobabeb ....................................................................................... 7 3 METHODS ..................................................................................................................8 3.1 Fieldmethods................................................................................................................................. 8 3.1.1 Grain size distribution / stratigraphy................................................................................................ 9 3.1.2 Water level measurement during flood ......................................................................................... 10 3.1.3 Examination of soil moisture dynamics......................................................................................... 10 3.1.4 Examination of aquifer response .................................................................................................. 16 3.1.4.1 Temperature, water table fluctuation, electrical conductivity................................................ 16 3.1.4.2 Water sampling..................................................................................................................... 17 3.2 Laboratory analysis .................................................................................................................... 19 3.2.1 Major ions...................................................................................................................................... 19 3.2.2 Stabile Isotopes Deuterium and Oxygen 18 ................................................................................. 20 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION..................................................................................22 4.1 Profiles / stratigraphy/ grain size distribution.......................................................................... 22 4.2 Flood events at Gobabeb Station.............................................................................................. 25 4.2.1 Flood event one ............................................................................................................................ 25 4.2.2 Flood event two............................................................................................................................. 26 Table of Contents II 4.3 Soil moisture ............................................................................................................................... 28 4.3.1 Preliminary Investigation Site “Farm Niedersachsen”................................................................... 28 4.3.2 Gobabeb........................................................................................................................................ 32 4.3.2.1 Site one “Anatree Site” .........................................................................................................32 4.3.2.2 Site two “Rock Site”.............................................................................................................. 36 4.3.2.3 Site three “Pure Evaporation Site”........................................................................................ 38 4.3.2.4 Site four “Spare Site”............................................................................................................ 39 4.4 Groundwater observation .......................................................................................................... 46 4.4.1 Temperature.................................................................................................................................. 46 4.4.2 Water table fluctuation .................................................................................................................. 46 4.4.3 Specific electrical conductivity....................................................................................................... 47 4.5 Major ions .................................................................................................................................... 50 4.5.1 Floodwater..................................................................................................................................... 50 4.5.2 Groundwater.................................................................................................................................. 52 4.6 Stable isotopes............................................................................................................................ 60 4.6.1 Floodwater..................................................................................................................................... 60 4.6.2 Groundwater.................................................................................................................................. 61 5 CONCLUSION ..........................................................................................................69 6 REFERENCES..........................................................................................................72 6.1 Literature cited ............................................................................................................................ 72 6.2 Further publications to Kuiseb..................................................................................................74 ANNEX.............................................................................................................................76 List of Figures III LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Research area.....................................................................................................4 Figure 2: Research sites in the Kuiseb catchment..............................................................8 Figure 3: Grain size triangle................................................................................................9 Figure 4: Gauge plates at Gobabeb Station .....................................................................10 Figure 5: Construction scheme.........................................................................................11 Figure 6: Insertion scheme ...............................................................................................11 Figure 7: Welding of drill pipes .........................................................................................12 Figure 8: Drilling Pipes for the insertion of the Theta-Probes ...........................................12 Figure 9: Location of Theta Probes at Niedersachsen......................................................13 Figure 10: Location of Theta Probes at “Anatree Site” .....................................................13 Figure 11: Schematic distribution of Theta Probes at Anatree site (not in scale)..............14 Figure 12: Bringing in probes at rock site .........................................................................14 Figure 13: Schematic distribution of Theta Probes at rock site (not in scale) ...................15 Figure 14: Schematic distribution of Theta Probes at evaporation site (not in scale) .......15 Figure 15: Schematic distribution of Theta Probes at spare site (not in scale) .................16 Figure 16: Swartbank, old well point with hand pump and the new borehole ...................18 Figure 17: Different structures of silt cover near Gobabeb (matchbox as a relation to the size) .............................................................................................................22 Figure 18: Profil 2 (sand) ..................................................................................................23