José Leonardo Corrales-Salazar

Universidad Nacional

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Ricardo Sánchez‐Murillo

The University of Texas at Arlington

Germain Esquivel‐Hernández

Universidad Nacional

Jan Boll

Washington State University

Christian Birkel

Universidad de Costa Rica

Olivier Roupsard

Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement

Luis Araguás‐Araguás

International Atomic Energy Agency

Erin Brooks

University of Idaho

R. Arce-Mesén

Universidad de Costa Rica

I. Katchan

Centro Nacional de Alta Tecnología

Chris Soulsby

Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries

Cooperative Institutions

Universidad de Costa Rica

Centro Agronomico Tropical de Investigacion y Ensenanza Catie

Universidad Nacional

National Autonomous University of Nicaragua

National Autonomous University of Honduras

University of Idaho

International Atomic Energy Agency

Waters (United States)

Universidad Hispanoamerica

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Tracer hydrology of the data‐scarce and heterogeneous Central American Isthmus

Hydrological Processes (2020)

Ricardo Sánchez‐Murillo Germain Esquivel‐Hernández José Leonardo Corrales-Salazar Laura Castro‐Chacón Ana María Durán‐Quesada

Numerous socio-economic activities depend on the seasonal rainfall and groundwater recharge cycle across the Central American Isthmus. Population growth and unregulated land use changes resulted in extensive surface water pollution and a large dependency on groundwater resources. This work combines stable isotope variations in rainfall, surface water, and groundwater of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Honduras to develop a regionalized rainfall isoscape, isotopic lapse rates, spatial–temporal isotopic variations, and air mass back trajectories determining potential mean recharge elevations, moisture circulation patterns, and surface water–groundwater interactions. Intra-seasonal rainfall modes resulted in two isotopically depleted incursions (W-shaped isotopic pattern) during the wet season and two enriched pulses during the mid-summer drought and the months of the strongest trade winds. Notable isotopic sub-cloud fractionation and near-surface secondary evaporation were identified as common denominators within the Central American Dry Corridor. Groundwater and surface water isotope ratios depicted the strong orographic separation into the Caribbean and Pacific domains, mainly induced by the governing moisture transport from the Caribbean Sea, complex rainfall producing systems across the N-S mountain range, and the subsequent mixing with local evapotranspiration, and, to a lesser degree, the eastern Pacific Ocean fluxes. Groundwater recharge was characterized by (a) depleted recharge in highland areas (72.3%), (b) rapid recharge via preferential flow paths (13.1%), and enriched recharge due to near-surface secondary fractionation (14.6%). Median recharge elevation ranged from 1,104 to 1,979 m a.s.l. These results are intended to enhance forest conservation practices, inform water protection regulations, and facilitate water security and sustainability planning in the Central American Isthmus.

Water cycle

10.1002/hyp.13758

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Citations (26)

Understanding key drivers controlling daily stable isotope variations in precipitation of Costa Rica, Central America

EGUGA (2015)

Ricardo Sánchez‐Murillo Kristin Welsh Christian Birkel Germain Esquivel‐Hernández José Leonardo Corrales-Salazar

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Deciphering complex groundwater age distributions and recharge processes in a tropical and fractured volcanic multi‐aquifer system

Hydrological Processes (2022)

Ricardo Sánchez‐Murillo Irene Montero‐Rodríguez José Leonardo Corrales-Salazar Germain Esquivel‐Hernández Laura Castro‐Chacón

Abstract Groundwater recharge in highly fractured volcanic aquifers in the humid tropics remains poorly understood. In this region, rapid demographic growth and unregulated land use change are resulting in extensive surface water pollution and a large dependency on groundwater extraction. Here we present a multi‐tracer approach including δ 18 Oδ 2 H, 3 H/ 3 He dating, and noble gases (NG) within the most prominent multi‐aquifer system of central Costa Rica, with the objective to assess dominant groundwater recharge mechanisms and age distributions. We sampled wells and large springs across an elevation gradient from 868 to 2421 m asl. Our results indicate relatively young apparent ages ranging from 0.0 ± 3.2 up to 43.5 ± 7.6 years within the unconfined aquifer system. Helium isotopes (R/R a up to 5.4) indicate a dominant signal from the upper mantle and preclude 3 H/ 3 He dating in 50% of the samples. Potential recharge elevations (based on NG and δ 18 O) ranged from ~1350 to 2670 m asl. NG‐derived recharge temperatures ranged from 11.0°C to 19.4°C. Recharge estimates varied from 129 ± 78 to 1605 ± 196 mm/yr with a mean value of 642 ± 117 mm/yr, representing 20.1 ± 4.0% of the total mean annual rainfall as effective recharge. The shallow unconfined aquifer is characterized by young and rapidly infiltrating water, whereas the deeper aquifer units have relatively older water (>60 years). These results are intended to guide the delineation and mapping of critical recharge areas in mountain headwaters to enhance water security and sustainability in the most important headwater dependent systems of Costa Rica.

Depression-focused recharge

10.1002/hyp.14521

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Hydrogeological responses in tropical mountainous springs

Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies (2018)

Jéssica Salas-Navarro Ricardo Sánchez‐Murillo Germain Esquivel‐Hernández José Leonardo Corrales-Salazar

This study presents a hydrogeochemical analysis of spring responses (2013–2017) in the tropical mountainous region of the Central Valley of Costa Rica. The isotopic distribution of δ18O and δ2H in rainfall resulted in a highly significant meteoric water line: δ2H = 7.93·δ18O + 10.37 (r2 = 0.97). Rainfall isotopic composition exhibited a strong amount-dependent seasonality. The isotopic variation (δ18O) of two springs within the Barva aquifer was simulated using the FlowPC program to determine mean transit times (MTTs). Exponential-piston and dispersion distribution functions provided the best-fit to the observed isotopic composition at Flores and Sacramento springs, respectively. MTTs corresponded to 1.23 ± 0.03 (Sacramento) and 1.42 ± 0.04 (Flores) years. The greater MTT was represented by a homogeneous geochemical composition at Flores, whereas the smaller MTT at Sacramento is reflected in a more variable geochemical response. The results may be used to enhance modelling efforts in central Costa Rica, whereby scarcity of long-term data limits water resources management plans.

10.1080/10256016.2018.1546701

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Citations (13)

Key drivers controlling stable isotope variations in daily precipitation of Costa Rica: Caribbean Sea versus Eastern Pacific Ocean moisture sources

Quaternary Science Reviews (2015)

Ricardo Sánchez‐Murillo Christian Birkel Kristen Welsh Germain Esquivel‐Hernández José Leonardo Corrales-Salazar

Intertropical Convergence Zone

δ18O

HYSPLIT

Tropical Atlantic

10.1016/j.quascirev.2015.08.028

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Citations (87)