Regime of the fissured-karstic springs in the Cracow Upland (Southern Poland) changed by human impact

• Autores: Jacek Rózkowski
• Localización: Hidrogeología ( Madrid ), ISSN 0214-1248, Nº. 14, 1997, págs. 11-17
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The fissured-karstic Upper Jurassic aquifer which occurs in the carbonate rocks of the Cracow Upland belongs to the major usable aquifers of Poland. Its uncovered character and hydraulic structure favour intensive infiltration and migration of pollutants from the surface. Local flow systems connected with fissured-karstic springs present in the valley drainage zones play the main part in groundwater circulation. The springs of low discharge rate (less than 5 l/s) and small variability (R 1.31-8.18) prevail in the studied population of 80 springs. The time of the response of springs to snow melting (17-80 days) is the same as the time of reaction of water table in the wells which intake water from the upper part of the Upper Jurassic aquifer. Analysis of the correlograms obtained by "predecessing atmospheric precipitation" method shows a delay os spring response to recharge by atmospheric precipitation from 175 to 425 days. Spring water is slightly mineralised (TDS from 180 to 400 mg/dm3), mainly moderately hard, slightly basic, HCO3-Ca type. Deterioration of the quality of some water samples results from the type of land use in the studied area; this is expressed mainly by higher concentration of biogenic compounds. Quantitative decrease of water volume in the spring zones results from intensive development of rural water supply systems.