PRACTICAL 4

Altitude Effect
Eduardo E. Anderson
Student Number:
201608008

HYDROGEOLOGY II
(GLY3812)
 Practical 4: Altitude effect

• Oxygen-18 content and hydrochemistry of the large carbonate springs issuing from Semmering
Massif was intensively monitored with the aim of characterizing the recharge area and
hydrochemical evolution (Yehdegho & Reichl, 2002).

a) Find the altitude effect for the Simmering Massif by plotting the recharge altitude for
each spring versus its long-term average δ18O. If necessary, distinguish between a
northern and a southern zone. Compare your results to the altitude effect of
precipitation in Switzerland, 0.26‰ /100 m (Siegenthaler & Oeschger, 1980).

Recharge Altitude [masl] VS δ18O [‰]

1600

1400 y = -318.69x - 2292.4

R² = 1
Recharge Altitude [masl]

1200

1000

800

600
y = -318.69x - 2292.4
400 R² = 0.8631

200

0
-14 -12 -10 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2
δ18O [‰]
Carbonate springs Reference springs

Switzerland Regression Line - Carbonate springs

Regression Line - Reference springs

Typical gradients are -0.15 to -0.5 ‰ per 100m for 18O, in this case we have the gradient of -
318.69‰ this indicates much more effect of altitude on Oxygen-18. It’s clear that Oxygen -18
decreases with increase in altitude. However, for Switzerland the elevation is low and hence the
Oxygen-18 is more positive compared to the two springs that their results are more negative.

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 b) Based on the altitude effect found under a) determine the recharge altitude for the carbonate
springs. What is the range of recharge altitudes? Considering the standard error for the δ18O,
what is the uncertainty in recharge altitude?

Recharge altitude
No Name δ18O [‰] Standard error [δ ‰]
[masl]
Carbonate springs
3 Eselbach 1085.714 -10.6 0.03
18 Berta 1018.7891 -10.39 0.02
138 Wallersbach 1369.3481 -11.49 0.04
142 Edlach 1280.1149 -11.21 0.04
223 Erzelhof 1 1254.6197 -11.13 4
224 Erzelhof 2 1232.3114 -11.06 0.04
313 Kohleben 1327.9184 -11.36 0.04
325 Raxenbach 1 1181.321 -10.9 0.07
327 Raxenbach 2 1197.2555 -10.95 0.06
368 Adlitzgraben 1190.8817 -10.93 0.04

Range = 1227.53 masl.

Altitude depends on air pressure therefore this might be one of the factors leading to
uncertainty in altitude measurements.

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