engleski

The pollution in Pazinčica stream and its effects on Pazinska jama Ponor (Croatia)

Pazinčica is the largest sinking stream of Istra Peninsula in Croatia. The catchment area, derived from DEM, is 78.1 km2. It is a textbook example of the allogenic denudation system. Nearly complete (95 %) catchment area is non- karst system with stream sinking at the contact of impermeable and karstified beds. It is mostly built of impermeable flysch and alluvial deposits with well-developed drainage network formed by fluvial and slope geomorphological processes. Pazinčica sinks into Pazinska jama Ponor cave developed in karstified Cretaceous limestone. Ponor is partially accessible due to the infillings of various materials in the submerged passages. According to tracer test water from Pazinska jama drain into springs SE of the Ponor up to 28 km away and one of them is used for water supply. Part of Pazinčica valley is NATURA 2000 site and Ponor is protected by Nature protection law as Geomorphological Natural Monument. But, due to the high intensity of anthropogenic activities in the basin they are occasionally exposed to pollution. The first recorded heavy incident was in 1997. The most recent incidents occurred in 2018 and 2019 from the landfill Lakota in the City of Pazin and nearby area. The pollutants recorded in the stream, during these recent and previous incidents, were: fuel oil, sewerage and drainage water, mud originated from industrial stone powder, municipal and forest waste. The influence on Pazinčica stream fauna was not known but influence on cave fauna was recorded. Besides that, there are other sources of pollution, but Pazinska jama is the most remarkable one due to the significant point inflow. All that have high influence to the karst landscape and ecosystem, karst aquifer and tourism activities. Therefore, Pazinčica is an example of poor policy of karst environment and aquifers protection, and general problems in nature protection system.

karst water, pollution, ponor

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