A sufficiently long spring discharge regime monitoring data set allows for a
large number of analyses, to better understand the process of transformation
of precipitation into a discharge hydrograph. It is also possible to
determine dynamic groundwater volumes in a karst spring catchment area, the
water budget equation parameters and the like. It should be noted that a
sufficiently long data set is deemed to be a continuous spring discharge
time series of more than 30 years. Such time series are rare in Serbia. They
are generally much shorter (less than 15 years), and the respective
catchment areas therefore fall into the ?ungauged? category. In order to
extend existing karst spring discharge time series, we developed a model
whose outputs, apart from mean monthly spring discharges, include daily real
evapotranspiration rates, catchment size and dynamic volume variation during
the analytical period. So far the model has solely been used to assess the
discharge regime and water budget of karst springs. The present paper aims
to demonstrate that the model also yields good results in the case of
springs that drain aquifers developed in marbles. Belo Vrelo (?White
Spring?, source of the Tolisnica River), which drains marbles and marbleized
limestones and dolomites of Cemerno Mountain, was selected for the present
case study.
Links between karst hydrogeological properties and statistical characteristics of spring discharge time series: a theoretical study