IDENTIFICATION OF HYDROGEOCHEMICAL PROCESSES IN A NORTH EASTERN ENDOREIC BASIN UNDER SEMI-ARID CONDITIONS (ALGERIA)

Abstract

Statistical and geochemical methods were used to identify the factors influencing the behavior of groundwater in the Tarf watershed, characterized by a high water deficit. The chemical facies deduced from the piper diagram and the correlations between different major cations and anions evoked a dominance of the evaporite minerals with respect to the carbonates which are saturated and try to precipitate. Besides the projection of the results of a few points followed over a period of 4 years (2011-1015) on the Gibbs plot demonstrates the dominance of the processes of evaporation - precipitation with respect to the erosion which is very slowed during the last years due to the fact of lack of effective precipitation.