Introduction: The Zhengzhou section of the lower Yellow River is an ecologically vulnerable region, where the groundwater chemistry has experienced significant variations due to the combined effects of natural factors and human activities.Methods: In this study, we employed methods such as the Piper trilinear diagram, Gibbs plot, ion ratio coefficient method, and multivariate statistical techniques to explore the major controlling factors influencing groundwater chemical evolution.Results: The results indicate that 46% of shallow groundwater in the intensive conversion zone between surface water and groundwater is of the HCO₃—Na·Ca·Mg water type. Influenced by lateral infiltration from the Yellow River, groundwater on both sides of the river evolves into Cl·SO₄·HCO₃ and Cl·HCO₃ types. Groundwater near the riverbanks and ponds, directly replenished by Yellow River water or by leakage, is more significantly impacted by human activities compared to other regions. Factor analysis indicates that the chemical evolution of regional shallow groundwater is primarily controlled by factors such as mineral dissolution, human activities, and Yellow River water recharge. More pronounced water-rock interactions in unconfined aquifers, leads to an increase in the concentrations of conventional components like TDS and Mg²⁺.Discussion: Due to the long-term unidirectional transformation of surface water into groundwater, SO₄^2- and Na⁺ in the groundwater are strongly influenced by surface water. NO₃⁻ is mainly affected by human activities, including domestic and agricultural activities. The concentrations of Fe and Mn are primarily influenced by the high background values of aquifer sediments and, to a lesser extent, by the significant enhancement of the aquifer’s reducing conditions, leading to higher concentrations of Fe and Mn in groundwater. The findings of this study provide theoretical and data-based support for the scientific formulation of groundwater protection and rational development measures.

The Xiao River sewage irrigation area in Luancheng where wastewater from Shijiazhuang flows through was taken as the research area. Five groundwater monitoring wells were set perpendicular to Xiao River, the research reveals the migration law and distribution characteristics of poisonous metal lead, through collecting and analyzing soil samples at different depths, investigating lithologic structure and pollution. The result shows that soil type has great impact on vertical lead distribution in aeration zone, which means that lead concentrates more in clay than in sand. Lead migrates fast in silty soil and silty clay, but slow in sand. The content of lead soil adsorbed decreases with grain size increasing. The most important factor influencing the distribution of lead is the soil type.

(1) Background: This study aims to provide a viable theoretical framework for wetland ecological restoration in the lower reaches of the Yellow River within the city of Kaifeng, China. (2) Methods: Using remote sensing and image interpretation to identify the long-term evolution characteristics of wetlands in the study area and analyzing the impact of runoff, riverway changes, and groundwater flow fields in the lower reaches of the Yellow River on wetland conditions along the Yellow River. (3) Results: With natural wetland as its major wetland type, the study area saw an increase in the total wetland area from 2000–2021. Among others, the total area of artificial wetlands increased by 43%, while that of flooding wetlands in natural wetlands decreased by 37%. Surface water discharge and water level saw a year-by-year drop. Moreover, the significant wandering and oscillations of riverways led to a direct impact on the area and stability of tidal flat wetlands. After 2010, affected by rainfall and exploitation, the groundwater level declined sharply. The degraded areas of artificial wetlands were mainly distributed at the northern embankment of the Yellow River, where the groundwater burial depth decreased significantly. In contrast, at the southern embankment, for the sake of the irrigation canal diverted from the Yellow River, new back river depressions had formed and helped build a more stable ecological environment. Yellow River water levels and discharge directly impacted the area of rivers and flooding wetlands. The decline in groundwater levels led to the degradation of ponds in artificial wetlands. (4) Conclusions: The reduction of groundwater exploitation and an adequate supply of diverted Yellow River water were conducive to the development of wetlands in the back river depressions on the outside of the Yellow River embankment.