Metals in sediments of springs and cave streams as environmental indicators in karst areas

The content of heavy metals and arsenic in sediments of karst streams in southern Missouri was investigated for its potential use as an indicator of pollution. A three-step sequential extraction procedure was utilized for this purpose. The amount of trace elements bound to each extraction phase gives insight of its availability and geochemical dependence. These results were complemented with analyses of correlation and spatial variability. Although sediments collected in this study remained below EPAs critical value guidelines, concentration in the mobile phases and higher normalized Mn values successfully identified sites with concentrations higher than background levels. Correlation among elements was poor in most cases; among the trace metals only Cu and Zn correlated while Pb correlated with Ca, Al, Mn and Fe. Spatial variability analysis confirmed that natural variation among adjacent sediment samples is a common occurrence. The urban spring Ward Branch showed the highest levels of Cr, Zn, Pb and As.     

Carbamazepine breakthrough as indicator for specific vulnerability of karst springs: Application on the Jeita spring,Lebanon

The pharmaceutical drug carbamazepine is considered an effective wastewater marker. The varying concentration of this drug was analyzed in a mature karst spring following a precipitation event. The results show that carbamazepine is an indicator of wastewater entering the system through a fast flow pathway, leading to an increase of the drug concentrations in spring water shortly after a strong rainfall event. The analysis of the breakthrough curve of carbamazepine along with the electrical conductivity signal and major ions chemograph allowed the development of a conceptual model for precipitation event-based flow and transport in the investigated karst system. Furthermore the amount of newly recharged water and the mass of carbamazepine reaching the aquifer system during the event could be estimated using a simple mixing approach. The distance between the karst spring and the potential carbamazepine source was estimated by the combination of results from artificial tracer tests and the carbamazepine breakthrough curve. The assessment of spring responses to precipitation event using persistent drugs like carbamazepine helps assess the effect of waste water contamination at a spring and gives therefore insights to the specific vulnerability of a karst spring.     

Residence time distribution in the Kirkgoz karst springs (Antalya-Turkey) as a tool for contamination vulnerability assessment

Lumped parameter modeling of environmental tracer (tritium, CFCs and tritiogenic helium-3) transport in the Kirkgoz karst springs (Antalya-Turkey) appears to be a useful tool for assessing the vulnerability to contamination. Based on tritium observations between 1963 and 2000, the springs revealed a mean residence time (MRT) of 120 years. This suggests an active transport volume of 71 billion cubic meters for the aquifer, a value that is coherent with the estimated void volume of karst aquifer based on the mass of associated travertine deposits. The CFC-11 and CFC-12 MRTs are in agreement with tritium-based MRT, after correcting for excess air effect. Excess crustal and mantle helium flux hindered the use of tritiogenic helium-3 as a potential tracer. The residence time distribution (RTD) indicates a groundwater transport system that is fed by recharges extending back to past several hundred years. This wide RTD suggests that any recent contamination that may have entered the system could progress slowly within the entire aquifer but would be unnoticed in the early period because of the dilution effect of uncontaminated past recharge waters. Once the contamination is recognized, it may last for many centuries ahead even if the contamination practice is stopped. Thus, control of contaminant release to aquifer and monitoring of contaminant level in Kirkgoz springs is an immediate task for the associated public health authorities.     

改进脆弱性指数法在煤矿底板突水评价中的应用

针对传统的AHP型脆弱性指数法在权重确定方面的不足,采用熵权法对其改进,将熵权法计算的客观权重与AHP法计算的主观权重进行加权平均,综合确定各主控因素诱发突水的权重比例。在综合分析长平煤矿水文地质资料的基础上,应用GIS建立主控因素专题图并进行归一化处理,运用基于GIS的改进AHP型脆弱性指数法确定各主控因素权重,建立井田西部3号煤底板奥灰突水危险性评价模型。利用自然间断点分级法确定了分区阈值,将研究区按突水危险性的相对大小分为5个区域。评价结果符合实际,对煤矿安全生产具有重要的现实意义。     

Overview of karst geo-environments and karst water resources in north and south China

The karst geological system in north China is different from that in the south. Due to differences in basic geological conditions and environment, the karst evolutional pattern and karst water resources, among other things, are also different in the two regions. This paper, based on on-site fieldwork and analysis of an extensive database of karst in China, presents a systematic and contrastive analysis of karst geological environment and karst water resources in north versus south China, highlights the differences between the two regions in basic karst geological conditions, groundwater dynamics and karst water resources, and concludes with the economic, environmental and engineering implications of these differences. These findings will be helpful for the strategic planning and decision-making processes associated with exploitation of karst geological resources and with prevention and control of karst geological hazards.     

The vulnerability of karst springs—a case study of the Hubelj spring (SW Slovenia)

The hydraulic behaviour of the karst aquifer in the Hubelj spring catchment area (SW Slovenia) was studied by using an indirect research method based on natural tracers. The variations of natural tracers (in precipitation and in groundwater) during the storm event made possible the separation of the Hubelj spring storm hydrograph by the three-component separation technique. The results produced information on the aquifer recharge, storage and discharge processes, as well as on the mechanisms that affected them. They verified the so-called epikarst hypothesis presuming that an important part of a karst aquifer recharge reaches rapidly and intensively from the epikarst zone. It was demonstrated that epikarst water could occupy up to 50% of the spring discharge during precipitation events. This phenomenon could have important consequences on protection and management of the problems of karst aquifers, including engineering problems in karst areas. With this respect the results could give way to new engineering ideas.     

兴文喀斯特与中国南方喀斯特旅游资源对比研究

中国南方喀斯特集中了中国最具代表性的喀斯特地形地貌。位于中国南方喀斯特区域内的兴文县拥有国内罕见的完整喀斯特景观,丰富独特的喀斯特景观被朱学稳研究员誉为“兴文式喀斯特”。本文运用比较法、德尔菲法与层次分析法,对兴文喀斯特与中国南方喀斯特世界自然遗产项目以及天坑、溶洞、石林等典型喀斯特旅游资源进行比较分析,总结其资源优势。研究认为,兴文县完整的喀斯特流域上发育了类型丰富多样、品位高、组合好且分布集中的喀斯特自然资源,形成了独特的喀斯特生态僰苗文化资源,与“世界自然遗产”中国南方喀斯特一、二期7个代表地一样具有代表性,具有列入世界自然遗产名录,进一步补充、完善中国南方喀斯特自然遗产资源的条件。      

利用泉水电导率频率分布辨别岩溶含水系统的水源组分

岩溶含水系统中水源组分的识别能帮助认识系统的结构,解决岩溶水文及水化学研究的基础问题。以灵水岩溶大泉为例,分解了4个水文年的电导率频率分布隐藏的峰,并对其所代表的水源组分进行分析。发现灵水泉口的水源组分主要有4种:① 含水系统中岩溶裂隙或管道中释放的重力水,占53%~77%;② 源于泉口附近携带污染物质的水源,占3%~7%;③ 强降雨期间通过覆盖层分散入渗的水源,或先前存贮在管道或裂隙中流动性差的水被带出含水层,占13%~42%;④ 地面径流以及直接降落到湖面的雨水,占2%~3%。将灵水的电导率频率分布与峰丛洼地的两个典型岩溶水系统对比,分析了电导率的频率分布所蕴藏的含义。研究结果为西南3 620个岩溶水系统的进一步归类提供了参考。     

区域水资源可持续利用评价指标体系的建立

立足于区域(或流域)水资源的特点,考虑到区域(或流域)内社会经济发展对水的依赖程度,以及社会经济发展水平的不平衡和科技水平的差异,借鉴国际可持续发展标准和国内其它资源可持续发展的认知水平,遵循科学、实用及简明的原则,构建水资源可持续发展评价指标体系,探索性地提出了水资源可持续发展能力的五级划分标准.     

Groundwater vulnerability assessment for the karst aquifer of Tanour and Rasoun springs catchment area (NW-Jordan) using COP and EPIK intrinsic methods

Groundwater vulnerability maps were constructed for the surface water catchment area of Tanour and Rasoun spring (north-west of Jordan) using the COP and EPIK intrinsic groundwater vulnerability assessment methods. Tanour and Rasoun springs are the main water resources for domestic purposes within the study area. A detailed geological survey was carried out, and data of lithology, karst features, precipitation, vegetation and soil cover, etc. were gathered from various sources for the catchment area in order to determine the required parameters for each method. ArcGIS software was used for map preparation. In the resulting COP vulnerability map, spatial distribution of groundwater vulnerability is as follows: (1) high (37%), (2) moderate (34.8%), (3) low (20.1%), and (4) very low (8.1%). In the EPIK vulnerability map, only two out of four vulnerability classes characterize the catchment area: very high vulnerable areas (38.4%) and moderately vulnerable areas (61.6%). Due to limited soil thickness, the low vulnerability class is absent within the catchment. The high percentage of very high to moderately vulnerable areas displayed by both the COP and EPIK vulnerability assessment methods are reflected by different pollution events in Tanour and Rasoun karst springs especially during the winter season. The high sensitivity of the aquifer to pollution can be explained by different factors such as: thin or absent soil cover, the high development of the epikarst and karst network, and the lithology and confining conditions of the aquifer.     

Global analysis of land-use changes in karst areas and the implications for water resources

Karst areas contain valuable groundwater resources and high biodiversity, but are particularly vulnerable to climate change and human impacts. Land-use change is the cause and consequence of global environmental change. The releases of the Climate Change Initiative-Land Cover (CCI-LC) and World Karst Aquifer Map (WOKAM) datasets have made it possible to explore global land-use changes in karst areas. This paper firstly analyses the global karst land-use distribution in 2020, as well as the land-use transition characteristics between 1992 and 2020. Then, two indicators, proportion of land-use change and dominant type of land-use change, are proposed to identify the spatial characteristics of land-use change in global karst areas. Finally, three examples of land-use change in karst areas are analyzed in detail. Land-use types and proportions of the global karst areas from large to small are as follows: forest (31.78%), bare area (27.58%), cropland (19.02%), grassland (10.87%), shrubland (7.21%), wetland (1.67%), ice and snow (1.16%) and urban (0.71%). The total area of global karst land-use change is 1.30 million km², about 4.85% of global karst surface. The land-use change trend of global karst is dominated by afforestation, supplemented by scattered urbanization and agricultural reclamation. The tropical climate has a higher intensity of land-use change. Regions of agricultural reclamation are highly consistent with the population density. These results reflect the impact of human activities and climate change on land-use changes in global karst areas, and serve as a basis for further research and planning of land resource management.

     

A new approach for the development and management of brackish karst springs

A new approach to the method of artificial upraising of the water outlet point, for management and development of brackish karst springs, uses the MODKARST model. Brackish karst springs simulation can be used to estimate the necessary upraising of the spring elevation, so that sea-water intrusion is blocked. The consequent freshwater loss to the sea, due to this upraising, can also be estimated. The method has been applied to the periodically brackish karst Almiros spring at Heraklion of Crete, Greece. The spring simulation showed that the sea-water intrusion could be prevented through an artificial upraising of the water-outlet point, realized by the construction of a dam. The exact upraising has been estimated. Freshwater loss to the sea because of this upraising has also been estimated. The model could also be used as a tool for the management of the spring. For example, it was used to assess management options for the spring during the depletion period of the year 1994. The best scenario for the development of the spring during this period has been estimated.     

南方岩溶区地下水资源特征与水资源保障对策

【研究目的】中国南方岩溶地区干旱缺水等问题异常突出,岩溶地下水赋存和分布的复杂,开发利用率低,基于多年调查研究工作为基础,系统总结南方岩溶区地下水资源特征,研讨水资源保障对策。【研究方法】基于南方岩溶区地下水资源特点、地下水系统类型、地下水系统空间结构的叠置性和时空分布不均性分析,提出南方岩溶区水资源保障对策。【研究结果】南方岩溶区可从以下三方面充分发挥地下水资源安全保障作用,一是掌握地下水赋存分布规律,发挥分散供水和应急供水作用;二是加强调蓄工程建设,解决水资源时空分布不均问题;三是建立与生态重建和经济发展相结合的地下水资源可持续利用模式。【结论】南方岩溶区地下水赋存条件复杂,具有表层带岩溶水系统、岩溶地下河与管道流系统、岩溶大泉系统以及分散排泄地下水系统多种类型,规模大小不一,开发利用形式多样;在垂向上具有叠置性,水空分布严重不均;开发利用潜力较大。在地球科学系统论的指导下,查明岩溶水资源赋存分布规律,科学评价地下水资源量,因地制宜制定水资源开发利用和保护方案,为脱贫攻坚、生态文明建设和乡村振兴提供技术支撑。创新点：以系统水文地质环境地质综合调查和地下水开发利用示范工作为基础,系统总结南方岩溶区地下水资源特点;针对岩溶区水资源安全保障问题,分析其主要原因,提出了水资源保障对策。     

Environmental isotopic and hydrochemical study of water in the karst aquifer and submarine springs of the Syrian coast

The groundwater of major karst systems and submarine springs in the coastal limestone aquifer of Syria has been investigated using chemical and isotopic techniques. The δ¹⁸O values of groundwater range from ?6.8 to ?5.05‰, while those for submarine springs vary from ?6.34 to +1.08‰ (eastern Mediterranean seawater samples have a mean of +1.7‰). Groundwater originates from the direct infiltration of atmospheric water. Stable isotopes show that the elevation of the recharge zones feeding the Banyas area (400–600 m a.s.l.) is higher than that feeding the Amrit area (100–300 m a.s.l.). The ¹⁸O_extracted (¹⁸O content of the seawater contribution) for the major submarine springs suggests a mean recharge area elevation of 600–700 m a.s.l., and lower than 400 m a.s.l. for the spring close to Amrit. Based on the measured velocity and the percentage of fresh water at the submarine springs outlet, the estimated discharge rate is 350 million m³/year. The tritium concentrations in groundwater (1.6–5.9 TU) are low and very close to the current rainfall values (2.9–5.6 TU). Adopting a model with exponential time distribution, the mean turnover time of groundwater in the Al-sen spring was evaluated to be 60 years. A value of about 3.7 billion m³ was obtained for the maximum groundwater reservoir size.     

浅析河南省渑池县水泉洼铝土矿床地质特征

通过大量的地质勘查工作,探明本区为大型铝土矿床,具有埋藏浅、规模大、易开采、易加工、中等品位的特征,属一水硬铝石型沉积铝土矿.     

Investigations of karstic springs of the Biokovo Mt from the Dinaric karst of Croatia

Ten gravity springs from the slopes of the Biokovo Mt, Adriatic coast of Croatia were investigated. Three of them are included in the regional water supply system. The aim of this study was to investigate hydrogeological and geochemical characteristics of watershed, presenting one of the most typical karstic areas in the world.Hydrogeological investigations were performed during two seasons with dye tracing, using Na-fluoresceine which was poured into two pits, observing springs at distances of 1.82–8.8 km. Apparent velocities were 0.21–0.51 cm s^?1. Dye tracing was first time partially effective and second time ineffective, what could be due to immanent ore mineralization, which presents a natural barrier and was discovered by geochemical and mineralogical methods.Concentrations of 17 dissolved and total trace elements were determined first time in groundwater samples. Their concentrations were extremely low, more than 3 orders of magnitude less than allowed by the Croatian directives for the first category of groundwater and drinking water. The mass fractions of 60 elements were determined in 3 representative spring sediments. Highest concentrations of some metals in sediments (mg kg^?1) are: lead 5440, chromium 118, manganese 935, zinc 116 and barium 238. Origin of some elements and mineralogy is discussed.     

降雪及旅游活动对金佛山表层岩溶泉水化学的影响

金佛山是世界自然遗产,冬季到景区赏雪的游客众多。为探究降雪过程及旅游活动对金佛山表层岩溶泉的影响,本文对2014年12月一次大规模降雪前后的水房泉水化学变化进行高频自动取样监测,获取高分辨率的水化学变化曲线,与大气降水、土壤水及污水的理化特征进行比较,并采用主成分分析法剖析影响泉水化学的主要因素。结果表明泉水理化学指标在降雪的不同阶段表现出显著的动态变化:在积雪初期（2014-12-10至2014-12-14）大部分水化学指标基本稳定;此后至积雪大面积融化前（2014-12-15至2014-12-28）旅游排污量增大,泉水的水温、流量、浊度、盐度以及各项离子含量呈上升趋势,而pH、溶解氧则呈下降趋势,水化学指标变幅大;积雪融化期间,融水补给使泉水溶解氧和浊度上升,其他水化学指标先下降后上升。主成分分析显示旅游活动的污水输入是引起泉水水质变化的首要因素,主成分贡献率达59%;积雪融化的稀释作用能一定程度缓解流域地下水污染状况,是第二影响因素,贡献率31%。      

模糊物元模型在区域水资源可持续利用综合评价中的应用

在模糊物元分析的基础上,结合欧氏贴近度的概念,提出了基于欧氏贴近度的模糊物元分析方法.在对区域水资源可持续利用进行综合评价时,把各地区各开发利用阶段作为物元的事物,以它们的各项评价指标及其相应的模糊量值构造复合模糊物元,通过计算与标准模糊物元之间的欧氏贴近度,并采用层次分析法计算各评价指标的权重,实现对各地区水资源可持续利用的综合评价与排序.该模型被应用到西安市的水资源可持续利用综合评价中,取得了较好的效果,对西安市水资源的可持续利用具有重要的指导意义.     

Comparison of particle-tracking and lumped-parameter age-distribution models for evaluating vulnerability of production wells to contamination

Environmental age tracers have been used in various ways to help assess vulnerability of drinking-water production wells to contamination. The most appropriate approach will depend on the information that is available and that which is desired. To understand how the well will respond to changing nonpoint-source contaminant inputs at the water table, some representation of the distribution of groundwater ages in the well is needed. Such information for production wells is sparse and difficult to obtain, especially in areas lacking detailed field studies. In this study, age distributions derived from detailed groundwater-flow models with advective particle tracking were compared with those generated from lumped-parameter models to examine conditions in which estimates from simpler, less resource-intensive lumped-parameter models could be used in place of estimates from particle-tracking models. In each of four contrasting hydrogeologic settings in the USA, particle-tracking and lumped-parameter models yielded roughly similar age distributions and largely indistinguishable contaminant trends when based on similar conceptual models and calibrated to similar tracer data. Although model calibrations and predictions were variably affected by tracer limitations and conceptual ambiguities, results illustrated the importance of full age distributions, rather than apparent tracer ages or model mean ages, for trend analysis and forecasting.     

The protection of karst water resources: the example of the Larzac karst plateau (south of France)

Wide karst plateaus extend in the carbonate rocks of the Grands Causses area, north of Montpellier (south of France). They are surrounded by a hard rock base that feeds important rivers, such as the Tarn River and tributaries, and crosses the plateaus creating deep gorges. The Larzac plateau, the most southern, makes a link with the Mediterranean region. It is traversed by one of the main national roads and another main road under construction from Clermont-Ferrand to Montpellier and Spain. The karst water resource of the plateau, from springs, is used as a water supply for the Millau area (30,000 inhabitants); but it also recharges surface rivers, mainly during the summer and fall when the water level is low, in a region that is well known for water recreation activities, for fish farming and, above all, for sheep farming and Roquefort cheese production. The fundamental question was should the karst and its water resource be fully protected by strict regulations (for example as a nature reservation) in land-use management of the plateau based upon the knowledge of its hydrogeological functioning and its karst structure? Decisions, concerning the ～500-km² area were elaborated from detailed hydrogeological studies, which included natural and artificial tracing, analysis of karst aquifer functioning, landscape analysis, and risk assessment and mapping. Recommendations were proposed to local and regional decision makers to define what were the preferences in terms of water resource protection and water quality restoration. Following such an approach in a karst area is not easy for hydrogeologists or for decision makers. In non-karstic regions, protection zones currently extend over small areas of a few square kilometers, which can be easily placed under the control of a small municipality. In the present example, the main water supplies are two springs that recharge areas that extend respectively over 100 and 110?km². Included are several municipalities, some of which use them for their water supply, whereas others are concerned with pollution risks and land management projects. The recent French Water Act, which considers water as a common heritage, allows for general management by all the users, and it deals with the water and the terrain in which it flows. The regulation tools seem very well suited to karst region management. However, time is needed to educate users and decision makers, and with the help of karst scientists, to work together in a framework that is larger than the usual municipal limits.