Groundwater flow mechanism in the well-developed karst aquifer system in the western Croatia: Insights from spring discharge and water isotopes
| Autor: | Tamara Hunjak, Željka Brkić, Mladen Kuhta |
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| Rok vydání: | 2018 |
| Předmět: |
Recession coefficient
Groundwater flow NATURAL SCIENCES. Geophysics 0208 environmental biotechnology Aquifer Hydrograph 02 engineering and technology Spring (hydrology) Mean residence time recession curve recession coefficient correlation stable isotopes lumped parameter approach mean residence time Stable isotopes Earth-Surface Processes Hydrology geography Recession curve geography.geographical_feature_category Hydrogeology Groundwater recharge Karst Correlation 020801 environmental engineering PRIRODNE ZNANOSTI. Geofizika Lumped parameter approach Groundwater Geology |
| Zdroj: | Catena Catena (Cremlingen) Volume 161 |
| ISSN: | 0341-8162 |
| Popis: | Karst aquifers have a fundamental importance to water supply in many countries. Due to their specific hydrogeologic properties, these aquifers are sometimes difficult to use because of the high discharge variations of the karst springs and are almost always sensitive to pollution. With an aim to better understand karst aquifers, different research methods are used to study the karst groundwater system in Croatia. The spring hydrograph and the stable isotope (δ18O, δ2H) compositions in the water samples collected from the Rjecina and Zvir springs and precipitation were analysed and used to characterize the karst aquifer. The recession coefficient obtained from the hydrograph analysis indicates only a fast-flow spring component at the Rjecina spring. The lack of the base-flow spring component is the primary reason for the spring drying out during the dry periods. The low recession coefficient of the Zvir spring indicates a base-flow and discharge from well-drained fissures and fractures in the spring catchment area during the low water stage. A mean residence time (MRT) of groundwater was calculated for stable isotope δ18O using lumped parameter approach by applying the exponential model, combined exponential-piston and dispersion models to isotopic input (rainfall) and output (spring) data sets during 2011–2013. The MRT of 3.24 and 3.6 months for the Rjecina spring and 7.2 months for the Zvir spring suggests recent groundwater recharge from precipitation. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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