Stream analysis for a sub-catchment of Red River (Vietnam) using isotopic technique and recursive digital filter method

River streams, in general, comprise of two flows: quick flow and baseflow. The baseflow is closely related to geological catchment properties, and understanding the baseflow contribution to stream flow is very important in the planning of water resources management. The baseflow in a sub-catchment of the Red River in Vietnam was quantified using the isotopic technique, and results were compared with Eckhardt’s recursive digital filter (RDF) method. Results of the isotopic approach showed that groundwater is recharged from regions at 300 to 800 m above mean sea level. The upstream baseflow gains from Holocene and Pleistocene aquifers throughout the year, contributing to 65 ± 4 % of the river discharge. On the contrary, the midstream baseflow contributes 44.6 ± 6.5 % of the river’s annual discharge to both Holocene and Pleistocene aquifers. The downstream is more complicated, where the baseflow loses to the Pleistocene aquifer and gains 73 ± 17 % of the river's annual discharge from the Holocene aquifer. The loss of baseflow was attributed to the high rate of groundwater mining.

Maintaining the vegetative cover over the recharge areas is recommended to reduce runoff and increase groundwater potential so that the baseflow could sustain the river stream.