Earth’s Cryosphere, 2025, Vol. XXIX, No. 1, p. 32-44.
SURFACE AND GROUND WATERS IN TERRESTRIAL PERMAFROST REGION
THE ROLE OF SUPRAPERMAFROST SUBAERIAL TALIK AQUIFERS IN SUPPLYING WATER TO SMALL TRIBUTARIES OF THE LENA RIVER ACCORDING TO FIELD OBSERVATIONS
L.S. Lebedeva1,*, V.V. Shamov1, 2, I.I. Khristoforov1, N.A. Pavlova1, K.P. Danilov1
1 Melnikov Permafrost Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Merzlotnaya St. 36, Yakutsk, 677010 Russia
2 Laboratory of Hydrology and Climatology, Pacific Institute of Geography, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Radio St. 7, Vladivostok, 690041 Russia
*Corresponding author; e-mail: lyudmilaslebedeva@gmail.com
The article provides an assessment of the distribution of suprapermafrost subaerial aquifer taliks and their influence on the processes of runoff formation of two small rivers, Shestakovka and Markhinka, whose catchments are similar in area and are located near the city of Yakutsk in the continuous permafrost zone. The talik area fraction under pine forests in the Shestakovka River basin reaches 23%; in the entire basin, 9.5%. Under pine forests of the Markhinka River basin, taliks are not developed. The decisive role of suprapermafrost subaerial aquiferous taliks in the formation of low-flow river flow in summer and autumn, as well as in the dynamics of autumn freezing of watercourses, is shown. During the summer low-flow period, the Shestakovka River flow is maintained due to the discharge of groundwater from taliks and the deep active layer in pine forests. During the period of autumn–winter freezing, channel and slope aufeis are formed due to the cryogenic expulsion of groundwater from taliks and the deep active layer upon its freezing from the surface. These aufeis serve as an additional source of river water during spring floods. In the absence of taliks in the Markhinka River basin, the flow usually stops at the end of the spring flood; in summer, the river is a chain of hydraulically unconnected expansions; in autumn, it freezes and has no discharge.
Keywords: permafrost, river flow, groundwater, ground penetrating radar, low-flow period, water chemistry, talik coverage, Central Yakutia.
Recommended citation: Lebedeva L.S., Shamov V.V., Khristoforov I.I., Pavlova N.A., Danilov K.P., 2025. The role of suprapermafrost subaerial talik aquifers in supplying water to small tributaries of the Lena River according to field observations. Earth’s Cryosphere XXIX (1), 32–44.
Received February 26, 2024
Revised October 21, 2024
Accepted December 12, 2024
Translated by E.S. Shelekhova