Understanding the groundwater dynamics in the Southern Rift Valley Lakes Basin (Ethiopia). Multivariate statistical analysis method, oxygen (δ 18O) and deuterium (δ 2H)

Multivariate statistical analysis is very important to classify waters of different hydrochemical groups. Statistical techniques, such as cluster analysis, can provide a powerful tool for analyzing water chemistry data. This method is used to test water quality data and determine if samples can be grouped into distinct populations that may be significant in the geologic context, as well as from a statistical point of view. Multivariate statistical analysis method is applied to the geochemical data in combination with δ 18O and δ 2H isotopes with the objective to understand the dynamics of groundwater using hierarchical clustering and isotope analyses. The geochemical and isotope data of the central and southern rift valley lakes have been collected and analyzed from different works. Isotope analysis shows that most springs and boreholes are recharged by July and August rainfalls. The different hydrochemical groups that resulted from the multivariate analysis are described and correlated with the geology of the area and whether it has any interaction with a system or not. (author)