Earth’s Cryosphere, 2023, Vol. XXVII, No. 4, p. 21-32.

SURFACE AND GROUND WATERS IN TERRESTRIAL PERMAFROST REGION

CURRENT STATE OF THE GROUNDWATER SPRINGS OF THE MAKHATTA SAND MASSIF, EASTERN SIBERIA

V.A. Palamarchuk1–3,*, L.S. Lebedeva4, N.A. Pavlova4, R.R. Khairullin1, N.E. Baishev4

1 Earth Cryosphere Institute, Tyumen Scientific Center of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Malygina St. 86, Tyumen, 625026 Russia
2 Arctic Research Center of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, District, Respubliki St. 20, Salekhard, 629007 Russia
3 Sergeev Institute of Environmental Geoscience, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ulanskii per. 13, build. 2, Moscow, 107045 Russia
4 Melnikov Permafrost Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Merzslotnaya St. 36, Yakutsk, 677010 Russia
*Corresponding author; e-mail: palamarchuk97@inbox.ru

A study of permafrost and groundwater conditions of the Makhatta Tukulan (Sakha Republic (Yakutia)), where thick aquifer talik horizons are common, was carried out. During the first half of July 2021, the water discharge of the Mugur-Taryn Spring was 690 L/s, which is less compared to data from 1973–1974 (770–930 L/s). Current data confirm that the chemical composition of suprapermafrost and intrapermafrost groundwater has been stable over the past several decades in the studied sand massifs. The spring water is of the bicarbonate calcium-magnesium chemical composition with mineralization of 13–50 mg/dm3. Using field observation data and results of remote sensing data processing, it was determined that the area of the sand massif with a vegetation cover has increased by approximately 18% during the past 40–50 years. This has led to a decrease in soil temperature, a change in the water-heat balance of the massif, and a reduction of water reserves of talik aquifers.

Keywords: sand massifs of permafrost regions, cryo-hydrogeological conditions, aquifer taliks, groundwater springs, groundwater reserves.

Recommended citation: Palamarchuk V.A., Lebedeva L.S., Pavlova N.A., Khairullin R.R., Baishev N.E., 2023. Current state of the groundwater springs of the Makhatta sand massif, Eastern Siberia. Earth’s Cryosphere XXVII (4), 21–32.