Rising springs along the Silk Road

Research Article| March 01, 2009 Rising springs along the Silk Road Jian Sheng Chen; Jian Sheng Chen 11State Key Laboratory of Hydrology, Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Chi-yuen Wang Chi-yuen Wang 22Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California–Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Jian Sheng Chen 11State Key Laboratory of Hydrology, Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China Chi-yuen Wang 22Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California–Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 22 Aug 2008 Revision Received: 27 Oct 2008 Accepted: 28 Oct 2008 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2009 Geological Society of America Geology (2009) 37 (3): 243–246. https://doi.org/10.1130/G25472A.1 Article history Received: 22 Aug 2008 Revision Received: 27 Oct 2008 Accepted: 28 Oct 2008 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Jian Sheng Chen, Chi-yuen Wang; Rising springs along the Silk Road. Geology 2009;; 37 (3): 243–246. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G25472A.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Despite its extreme aridity, the Hexi Corridor in northwestern China, part of the ancient Silk Road, has recently been repeatedly flooded by rising springs, forcing ~1000 families to abandon homes. Here we use new isotopic and chemical data for waters collected from the corridor and the Qilian Mountains to investigate the cause of the rising springs. The data show that the springs may have originated from the mountain slopes where glacier melt mixes with the precipitation from a local convective system between the extensively irrigated Hexi Corridor and the Qilian Mountains. Accelerated glacier melting may have increased recharge of groundwater in the Qilian Mountains that was subsequently released by recent earthquakes from the mountains to the valley to raise the local water table. The result has potential implications for the impact of climate change on water resources and management in arid regions. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.