engleski

Vulnerability mapping of Novljanska Žrnovnica karstic spring catchment area (Croatia)

Vulnerability mapping is one of the methods which are widely used in the complex hydrogeological research as an additional method for the groundwater protection studies, spatial planning or impact and pressure assessment projects. Two basic types of vulnerability map methods are developed: specific and intrinsic vulnerability mapping. Throughout the period of the last fifteen years, numerous of vulnerability methods were developed, but only few of them are suitable for the karst aquifers vulnerability analyses. Just some of them were applied for specific types of karst terrains. This paper represents the results of the UNESCO study "Vulnerability mapping of Novljanska Žrnovnica karstic spring catchment area (Croatia)" which was chosen as an example for the application of four well known intrinsic vulnerability mapping methods and tested on the karstic aquifer of the Novljanska Žrnovnica spring. That catchment has been selected because of the quantity of pre- existing researched hydrogeological data, and in the same time is the catchment typical for the Mediterranean karstic areas. Four methods were applied for the same pilot area: the PI method, the COP method, the SINTACS method and the European Approach method (COST 620). Those methods have many advantages and disadvantages for the vulnerability mapping of the karstic environment, some parameters are not suitable, some should be modified, and some could be used in the original way. On the base of used original, modified or completely new parameters on the same pilot area the new method has been proposed. That method tested on the catchment area of Novljanska Žrnovnica could be tested and used for other karst areas in the Mediterranean region. Karst aquifers represent a large portion of the groundwater resources in the Mediterranean region and the determination of the appropriate method can greatly contribute to the efficiency of groundwater protection in that area.

Karst aquifers vulnerability methods; KAVA method; PI method; COP method; COST 620 method; SINTACS method

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