Groundwater is one of the key sources of water recharge in Hulun Lake. In order to trace the location of the confined aquifer of the deep groundwater that recharges the lake, hydrogeochemical characteristic analysis and hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope sampling and analysis were performed on the lake water, phreatic water and multi-layer cretaceous confined water in the same region of the Hulun Lake basin. The hydraulic relationships between the lake and various aquifers were then revealed through the use of hydrogen radioisotopes. The results show that the lake water, phreatic water and confined water are of the HCO₃−Na type, and the content of stable isotopes (δD, δ¹⁸O) and radioisotopes (δ³H) is in the order of “confined water < phreatic water < lake water”. The main influencing factor of hydrochemical evolution in the phreatic water is the dissolution of feldspar; its age is about 26.66 years, and its renewal rate is nearly 3.75%. The main influencing factor of hydrochemical evolution in the K₁y₁, K₁y₂ and K₁d₁ Cretaceous confined water is evaporite dissolution (i.e., halite, gypsum); their renewal rate is less than 1%, and the discharge condition deteriorates with the increase in the aquifer roof burial depth. Phreatic water in the Jalainur Depression Zone supplies Hulun Lake under the condition of the existence of permafrost cover. The K₁d₂ confined water of the Lower Cretaceous–Damoguaihe Formation Coal Group II, with the deepest roof burial depth (441 m), shows significant differences in hydrochemistry, δD, δ¹⁸O and δ³H from the other K₁y₁, K₁y₂ and K₁d₁ Cretaceous confined waters in the same basin. The renewal rate (nearly 4.32%) of the K₁d₂ confined water is better than that of the phreatic water, and its hydrochemical characteristics are similar to those of the lake water and phreatic water, indicating that the Cuogang Fault and Xishan Fault, caused by crustal faults, resulted in the hydraulic relationship between the K₁d₂ confined water, lake water and phreatic water, resulting in drastic interannual changes in the lake water level. This study of lake–groundwater interactions in cold and arid regions can provide a theoretical basis for lakes’ sustainable development.

The water level of Lake Hulun has changed dramatically in recent years. The interannual interaction between groundwater and lake water is an important factor affecting Lake Hulun’s water level. Vertical recharge between groundwater and the lake is particularly important. Based on an analysis of differences between the hydrogeochemical and water quality characteristics of the spring water, the lake water, and the surrounding groundwater, the source and recharge mechanism of the spring water in the vertical recharge lake are determined. The results show that spring water is exposed at the bottom of Lake Hulun, and there are obvious differences between spring water and lake water in lake ice thickness, ion characteristics, and water quality characteristics. For example, the ice thickness at the spring site is only 6.8% of the average ice thickness of the lake, and there is a triangular area directly above the spring water area that is not covered by ice; the ion contents of the spring water at the lake bottom were less than 50% of those in the lake water; and the NH₄⁺-N content of the spring water at the lake bottom was only 3.0% of the mean content of the lake water. In addition, the total nitrogen (TN), dissolved oxygen (DO), and NH₄⁺-N contents of the spring water at the lake bottom all fall outside the range of contents of the surrounding groundwater. In general, the source of the spring water at the lake bottom is not recharged by the infiltration recharge of the phreatic aquifer but by the vertical recharge of the confined aquifer. Additionally, the Lake Hulun basin may be supplied with confined water through basalt channels while it is frozen. The vertical groundwater recharge mechanism may be that spring water at the lake bottom is first supplied by the deep, confined aquifer flowing through the fault zone to the loose-sediment phreatic aquifer under the lake, and finally interacts with the lake water through the phreatic aquifer.

The Xinding Basin is located in the high-heat-flow geothermal anomaly zone in the north-central part of China. Revealing the geothermal origin mechanism of the basin is of great significance for filling the measurement gap in heat flow values in China and providing a scientific basis for the evaluation and utilization of regional geothermal resources. Based on the hydrogeochemical characteristics of thermal reservoirs and borehole data in the Xinding Basin, this paper analyzes water–rock interaction process between geothermal water and heat reservoirs and discusses the types of geothermal systems in the basin. The results indicate that the fault structures in the basin are well-developed. The hydrochemical type of typical geothermal fields is dominated by the Cl·SO₄-Na type. Geothermal water is mainly immature water and receives recharge from shallow cold water with relatively rapid circulation. The discovered magma intrusion residues in the basin indicate that sections of the upper mantle with a shallow burial depth serve as the dynamic heat sources for regional thermal reservoirs. Intense extensional stretching in the Cenozoic Era resulted in high terrestrial heat flow values and an upward arching phenomenon of the Curie isothermal surface in the basin. Neotectonic movement is active in the basin. The regional geothermal reservoirs in the Xinding Basin occur in the glutenite beds of the Cenozoic Erathem and the rock formations of the New Archaean Erathem. The thick-layered Cenozoic loose sediments serve as the thermal cap rocks in this area. An efficient heat-convergent geothermal system integrating a heat source, heat channel, thermal reservoir, and cap rock (the “four-in-one” system) has promoted the formation of geothermal resources in the Xinding Basin.

Lakes in cold zones have common characteristics of long frozen periods and fragile water ecosystems. More and more lakes in cold zones have been experiencing water quality deterioration due to eutrophication with climate change and human activities. Lake Hulun is located in the cold zone of northern China, in which Cyanobacterial blooms frequently occur. The excessive nutrient input with inflowing river water and the change in lake hydrodynamic condition might be the main factors affecting this. To obtain a better understanding of the effects, the input loads of nutrients from the inflowing rivers were analyzed. A field test of freezing concentration combined with microbial activity regulation was carried out at a river–lake confluence. The results showed the following: (1) Lake Hulun receives a large amount of nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants from river runoff every year, and the water quality of these river is inferior Grade V, which greatly increases the difficulty in ecological purification of cold zone lakes. (2) The microbial activity control technology has a high purification rate for water during the unfrozen period. The order of purification rates for each hydrochemical index was TP > TN > COD > NH₄⁺-N, and the purification rates of TN and COD were between 35% and 36%. Compared with the water before purification, the water quality grade improved from Grade V to Grade III. (3) The composite technology of freezing concentration–microbial activity regulation has a general water purification rate during the frozen period. Under the low-temperature condition, the TN and COD nutrient fluxes in the water were reduced by 9.38% and 9.36%, respectively. After purification, the water quality grade of the ice body was above Grade II, and the water under the ice layer was above Grade IV, which was one grade higher than the water quality grade of the original lake water. This water treatment and purification process is a green, low-energy consumption, and low-cost technology. This study can provide reference for the integration and demonstration of lake water ecological governance and water resources security technology in cold and arid regions. It is beneficial to the sustainable development of the lake.