Ecological incidents in Northern Adriatic Karst (Croatia)

2000 ◽  
Vol 42 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 281-285
Author(s):  
D. Gereš ◽  
J. Rubinič ◽  
N. Ožanić
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Movement ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Karst Aquifer ◽  
Road Transport ◽  
Karst Area ◽  
Northern Adriatic ◽  
Karst Environment ◽  
Groundwater Aquifers ◽  
Accidental Pollution

In spite of growing efforts to preserve the quality of groundwater resources, accidental pollution is becoming increasingly frequent, resulting in long-lasting impact on the groundwater status. The consequences of ecological accidents are particularly expressed in karst regions, which are caused by the geological properties of the area where the groundwater aquifers are situated, as well as by hydrological circumstances which also influence the dynamic mechanisms of water flow and transportation of pollution in the karst environment. The paper stresses the hydrological component of karst aquifer function and the related role of hydrology in assessment of the hazards caused by accidental pollution and, once the accident has happened, in monitoring the situation and forecasting the possible impact on water resources. The analysis of ecological accidents in the karst has been made, based on the actual examples of accidents involving fuel substances recorded in the Northern Adriatic karst area in Croatia in the period from 1990 to 1998. The basic characteristics of the mechanism of water movement in the karst are presented from the hydrological standpoint, as well as the related risk of rapid transportation of pollutants into the parts of the aquifers used for water supply. The paper also contains proposals for possible approaches to protection of particularly valuable water resources in the karst from accidental pollution occurring in road transport.

scholarly journals Investigation of Drainage Structures In The Karst Aquifer System Through Turbidity Anomaly, Hydro Geochemical And Stable Isotope Analyzes (Kiyan Springs, Western Iran)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vahed Kiyani ◽  
Abbas Esmaili ◽  
Farshad Alijani ◽  
Saeideh Samani
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Stable Isotope ◽  
Water Movement ◽  
Karst Aquifer ◽  
Spring Water ◽  
Tectonic Zone ◽  
Western Iran ◽  
Aquifer System ◽  
Karst Environment ◽  
The Difference

Abstract Karst aquifers typically have desirable physicochemical properties and can provide an important source of groundwater for drinking. Kiyan karst springs, located in the geological region of the Zagros (western Iran), consist of two springs (Keder and Zolal) situated 3 meters apart. The water of Zolal spring is always clear, with no turbidity during rainfall or earthquake phenomena, but Keder spring, which also provides drinking water to a city of 10,000 inhabitants (Kiyan city), has very high turbidity in these conditions, and this disrupts the drinking water supply for about 1 month per year in the study area. The interpretation of discharge time series diagrams, precipitation, and turbidity in different rainfall and earthquake conditions, composite diagrams, and stable isotope concentrations shows this study area to be a well-developed karst environment with ahighlyeroded tectonic zone and large karst conduits along with turbulent water flow. In general, the difference in the behavior of the two springs is related to different paths of water movement through the drainage area.The two springs share the same source of recharge from rainfall and the same initial underground drainage path from the largest sinkhole in the region; although the path of water movementis divided into two branches, with Zolal spring water entering a narrower fault channel. In the Zolal spring pathway, a siphon-shaped reservoir is formed where muddy rainwatersettles, so that the water from this spring is clear but hashigher concentrations of all ions analyzed here than Keder spring water.

scholarly journals Sustainability of Water Resources in Karst Undermined by Tunneling: A Case Example

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 732
Author(s):  
Drago Dvanajščak ◽  
Jože Ratej ◽  
Vojkan Jovičić
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Karst Aquifer ◽  
Karst Aquifers ◽  
Groundwater Levels ◽  
Karst Environment ◽  
Railway Line ◽  
Variable Porosity ◽  
Site Investigations ◽  
Limestone Rock

Water resources in karsts are scarce due to the high cavernosity in the otherwise low-permeability limestone rock mass. The highly variable porosity and transmissivity of karst aquifers are caused by a network of channels, caverns, and caves that typically act as water-bearing, connected vessels. Tunneling in a karst environment can severely deplete an aquifer and undermine the sustainability of water resources over the long term. A research study was carried out to elaborate and develop measures for the sustainable preservation of the water resources in a Slovenian karst, in which two approximately 7 km-long tunnels will be driven as part of the construction of the new Divača–Koper railway line. Hydrogeological site investigations were carried out with an aim to evaluate the transmissivity and spatial spreading of the karst aquifer along the route of the tunnels, including the observation of the long-term variation of the groundwater levels and trace experiments. The main findings, which are presented in this paper, were used to develop a methodology for the selection of adequate measures for tunnel construction with an aim of ensuring the sustainability of water resources in karst aquifers. The construction measures comprise limiting the inflows using injection grouting, obscuring the groundwater intake by undrained sections of the tunnel, and constructing bypasses around the tunnel to preserve the current groundwater flow regime. The presented methodology of dynamically accommodating the preventive measures to the actual hydrogeological conditions onsite is generally applicable for common cases in which the state of the karst aquifer could not be pre-determined with a sufficient accuracy of tens of meters to a meter. The spatially and temporally continuous hydrogeological investigations and decision-making charts to reduce the tunnelling’s impact on the karst aquifer are explained in detail in this paper.

scholarly journals Assessment of water resource security in karst area of Guizhou Province, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liying Liu
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Resource ◽  
Bp Neural Network ◽  
Back Propagation ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Guizhou Province ◽  
Karst Area ◽  
Water Resource Security ◽  
Resource Security

AbstractThis paper presents the assessment of water resource security in the Guizhou karst area, China. A mean impact value and back-propagation (MIV-BP) neural network was used to understand the influencing factors. Thirty-one indices involving five aspects, the water quality subsystem, water quantity subsystem, engineering water shortage subsystem, water resource vulnerability subsystem, and water resource carrying capacity subsystem, were selected to establish an evaluation index of water resource security. In addition, a genetic algorithm and back-propagation (GA-BP) neural network was constructed to assess the water resource security of Guizhou Province from 2001 to 2015. The results show that water resource security in Guizhou was at a moderate warning level from 2001 to 2006 and a critical safety level from 2007 to 2015, except in 2011 when a moderate warning level was reached. For protection and management of water resources in a karst area, the modes of development and utilization of water resources must be thoroughly understood, along with the impact of engineering water shortage. These results are a meaningful contribution to regional ecological restoration and socio-economic development and can promote better practices for future planning.

Geophysical measurements in an abandoned old railway tunnel located in a karst area

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enzo Rizzo ◽  
Luigi Capozzoli ◽  
Gregory De Martino ◽  
Giacomo Fornasari ◽  
Valeria Giampaolo
Keyword(s):  
Karst Aquifer ◽  
Geophysical Methods ◽  
Water Reservoir ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Karst Area ◽  
Fluid Circulation ◽  
Railway Tunnel ◽  
Interdisciplinary Field ◽  
Karst Systems

<p>Carbonate aquifers in karst systems are very important water reservoir and are recognized as the most difficult to characterize. The purpose of this article is to present a project aimed to understand the circulation of fluids in carbonate reservoirs through innovative hydrogeophysical methodologies both in the laboratory and in the field. The test site is located in the Castel di Lepre karst system, which is disposed in the Mezo-Cenozoic carbonate substratum of the Monti della Maddalena ridge (Southern Appenines). In the karst area are located several caves, but the presence of an artificial tunnel (disused railway tunnel) could give the opportunity to characterize the whole area and the fluid circulation by multisensors geophysical sensors installed inside the karst aquifer. This natural laboratory permits to define an Applied Geophysics strategy developing several main topics from an engineering to hydrogeological point of view. Firstly, the geophysical investigations conducted, without altering the structure and in a fast manner, obtains important information concerning the construction of the tunnel, and the interaction between the infrastructure and surrounding rock, in that area that we define infrastructural critical zone. The study conducted aims to highlight the potential and any limitations of the use of geophysical techniques applied to infrastructures, emphasizing the emerging role of urban geophysics for the importance and topicality of its contents as well as the important innovations that the use of these techniques they can contribute to the hazardous processes. Secondly, the geophysical methods are used as a tool to characterize the fluid circulation by hydrogeophysal sensors installed inside the karst aquifer. The hydrogeophysics arose as an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the improved understanding of hydrological processes through geophysical observation. These approaches aimed at mitigating the detrimental effects of environmental problems.</p>

scholarly journals Flood history in the karst environment of Castellana-Grotte (Apulia, southern Italy)

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 593-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Parise
Keyword(s):  
Rock Mass ◽  
Complex Network ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Karst Area ◽  
Flood Events ◽  
Karst Environment ◽  
Main Factors ◽  
The Town

Abstract. Karst environments are characterized by peculiar hydrologic features, and in particular by a very limited, if not absent, surface hydrography. Water tends to infiltrate rapidly underground through the complex network of fractures and karstic conduits in the rock mass. However, on the occasion of concentrated rainfall, as well as in case of prolonged precipitation, such network might not be able to allow flowing of large amounts of water, which causes the occurrence of floods. This contribution illustrates the flood history in a classical karst area of Southern Italy, the town of Castellana-Grotte, in Apulia. The oldest part of the town lies at the bottom of a karst valley, which was hit by many flood events in the last centuries. More than twenty of these are here documented, starting from critical analysis of existing publications and documents, integrated with additional historical researches. Aimed at reconstructing the flood history at Castellana-Grotte, the best-documented events are described, together with the main factors, which played a role in distribution and gravity of the related damage. Eventually some engineering works realized during the first decades of the last century, in order to avoid further damage on the occasion of catastrophic floods, are also described.

scholarly journals Simulation of Regional Karst Aquifer System and Assessment of Groundwater Resources in Manatí-Vega Baja, Puerto Rico

2015 ◽  
Vol 07 (12) ◽  
pp. 909-922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Balati Maihemuti ◽  
Reza Ghasemizadeh ◽  
Xue Yu ◽  
Ingrid Padilla ◽  
Akram N. Alshawabkeh
Keyword(s):  
Puerto Rico ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Karst Aquifer ◽  
Aquifer System ◽  
Karst Aquifer System ◽  
Vega Baja

scholarly journals Estimated rate of karst aquifer development by MRC analysis and flood hydrograph components at Guntur Springs, Gunungsewu Karst Area, Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 200 ◽  
pp. 02007
Author(s):  
Muhammad Naufal ◽  
Tjahyo Nugroho Adji ◽  
Ahmad Cahyadi ◽  
Eko Haryono ◽  
Margaretha Widyastuti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flow System ◽  
Karst Aquifer ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Karst Area ◽  
Primary Input ◽  
Stable Component ◽  
Recession Curves ◽  
Flood Hydrograph ◽  
Aquifer Characteristics ◽  
One Year

Understanding the stage of karst aquifer development (karstification) is of vital importance because this parameter can reflect the character of flow system release, from which relevant management patterns are derived. Master Recession Curve (MRC) construction is considered ideal for identifying at which stage karstification works because MRC relies on recession curves as its primary input. Recession curves are the most stable component of flow hydrographs in representing aquifer characteristics. The study focused on springs located in a karst hydrogeological subsystem, namely, Guntur Spring in the Panggang Hydrogeological Subsystem (Gunungsewu Karst Area). It was designed to determine (1) the flow characteristics and (2) the degree of karst aquifer development at Guntur Spring. It utilized a one-year flow hydrograph with a 30-minute logging interval as the main data. The flood hydrograph showed that a fissure system dominated the flow characteristics. Moreover, the MRC construction results indicated that the karstification level at Guntur Spring was 5.0, confirming the dominant fissure system and also signs of the recent development of conduit flows.

Spatial variability and changes in storage-discharge relationships of crystalline catchments: implications for resilience and water resources management

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronan Abhervé ◽  
Clément Roques ◽  
Laurent Longuevergne ◽  
Stéphane Louaisil ◽  
Jean-Raynald de Dreuzy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Cycle ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Time Lag ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Reservoir Storage ◽  
Aquifer Storage ◽  
Water Resources Availability ◽  
Societal Needs

<p>While it is well understood and accepted that climate change and growing water needs affect the availability of water resources, the identification of the main physical processes involved remains challenging. It notably requires to filter interannual to interdecadal fluctuations and extreme events to isolate the underlying trends. Metropolitan areas are specifically subject to growing pressures because of the significant and increasing demand, combined with the strong anthropization of land uses.</p><p>The Meu-Chèze-Canut catchment supplies the city of Rennes with drinking water (680 km² - 500 000 users, Brittany, France). In this field laboratory, we explore the dynamics of the water cycle and water resources availability. In this context, water supply is mostly coming from reservoir storage for which levels shows a medium-term vulnerability in response to frequent relatively dry years. Based on retrospective data analysis, we describe the relationship between climatic forcing (precipitation, temperature) and water availability (aquifer storage, river discharge and reservoir storage) in different parts of the catchment that are characterized by distinct lithological and topographical settings. We then evaluate the resilience of both surface and groundwater resources, their past evolution and their resilience to climate change and increasing societal needs.</p><p>Water resources availability in these catchments relies on two geological formations with distinct hydrodynamics properties: the Armorican sandstone and Brioverian schist. To assess the resilience of the system, we specifically analyzed the relationships between monthly effective precipitation and stream discharge within nine sub-catchments over the past 30 years. We observe annual hysteresis relationships - that is, a time lag between precipitation and discharge highlighting the capacity of the landscape to temporarily store water - with significant variability in shapes across the catchments. We argue that topographic and lithological factors play key roles in controlling this variability through their impacts on subsurface storage capacity and characteristic drainage timescales. We propose perspectives based on the complementary use of calibrated groundwater models to leverage these results and provide adaptive water management strategies.</p>

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