Identification of Waters Incorporated in Laguna Lake, Republic of the Philippines, Based on Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotopic Ratios

We examined the oxygen and hydrogen isotopic ratios of surface waters and groundwaters in the catchment of Laguna Lake, Republic of the Philippines, to identify the types of water that combine and control these ratios in the lake water. The oxygen and hydrogen isotopic ratios of water samples collected from rivers, lakes, springs, and irrigation canals were determined using cavity ring-down spectroscopy. The lake water data deviated from the meteoric line of the Philippines by between −13.5‰ and −10‰, and between −11.5‰ and −1.5‰ in the dry and wet seasons, respectively. The values for the groundwaters and surface waters were mainly between −8‰ and 3‰ throughout the year. In addition to rainwater, evaporative concentration, which may have an almost constant effect throughout the year, was the main control on the oxygen and hydrogen isotopic properties of Laguna Lake. The contributions of the surface waters and groundwaters to the oxygen and hydrogen isotopic ratios of the lake were relatively constant. Based on their isotopic properties, the waters within the water catchment area of Laguna Lake can be roughly divided into lake water with heavier isotopic ratios, and groundwater and surface water with lighter isotopic ratios.