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In a semi-arid to arid climate context, dependency on groundwater resources may lead to overexploitation and deterioration of water quality. The Continental Intercalaire (CI) aquifer is one such continentalscale aquifer (more than a million of km(2)), which is mainly confined, poorly recharged but intensely abstracted. To date, the management of this resource relies on hydrogeological modelling and key parameters such as recharge/discharge rate and groundwater dynamics. We use a combination of residence time indicators (C-14, Cl-36, He-4) and stable isotopes of water (H-2 and O-18) to give greater constraint on the groundwater residence time in the CI. In previous studies, C-14 measurements and steady state modelling indicate a residence time of less than 100 ka whereas in others, Cl-36 measurements and transient scenarios modelling suggest a longer residence time (>500 ka).

In this study, most of the C-14 measurements are below the limit of detection, establishing residence times greater than 40 ka and confirming the necessity of strict sampling protocols to exclude all air and AMS measurements when low C-14 concentrations are expected.

In the Tunisian recharge area, detectable C-14 indicate sporadic recharge episodes (3-7 ka and 29-43 ka), whereas He-4 and Cl-36 concentrations in central areas suggest very old (<2 Ma) groundwaters. In these central areas, chlorine concentration can reach more than 2 g/l. Since Cl-36 concentrations are up to 4 time less than the initial input, we are confident there is no excessive deep Cl-36 production.

We characterise five distinct flowpaths reaching the Tunisian discharge area using their isotopic signatures. According to our mixing model, the average contribution from the main recharge area, the Algerian Atlas Mountains, is around 88%. This value is close to hydrogeological models. Conversely, the contribution from the Dahar Mountains is lower than in the hydrogeological modelling (2% against 10%) whereas the Tinhert shows a greater contribution (10% against 1%).

Increase of abstraction from the CI can potentially activate the circulation of old brackish groundwaters and dramatically decrease the water quality in the whole system. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.