Contribution to the detection of Lake Masoko (Tanzania) groundwater outflow:: isotopic evidence (18O,D)

The isotopic compositions ((18)O and D) of groundwater, springs, rivers and lake waters are used to account for the hydrological processes in the area of the closed maar Lake Masoko in Tanzania. Springs and groundwater from the northern, western and southern parts of the lake basin display relatively stable compositions, close to those of the mean precipitation, evidencing their fast infiltration rate. Springs located in the eastern part of the basin have enriched compositions, which are on the mixing line between the "non evaporated" water and the evaporated take water. This underlines the hydraulic continuity between the lake and the eastern springs and supports a previous proposition of grounwater outflow from Lake Masoko. The mixing parts of lake water calculated at each spring are constant through time, evidencing the inertia of the system. Furthermore, the mixing part of the lake water decreases linearly with the distance from the lake, suggesting an homogeneous and continuous aquifer. These observations point to a west to east groundwater flow, in agreement with the altitude of different potentials.