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Hydrogeochemical stratification of the unconfined Samobor aquifer (Zagreb, Croatia)

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

In the western part of the city of Zagreb, Croatia, hydrogeochemical and isotopic investigations of the Samobor aquifer were carried out with the aim of determining the differences in hydrogeochemical characteristics at increasing aquifer depths. The aquifer comprises 40-m thick gravelly–sandy deposits, with lenses and interlayers of silt and clay. The analyses have proven that with increasing aquifer depth, there are decreases in groundwater temperature and the values of electrical conductivity and increases in the sodium, iron and manganese concentrations. The δ13C distribution shows an evident increase in biogenic carbon concentrations with increasing aquifer depth. The measured specific 14C activities showed that the deeper part of the aquifer is characterized by slow water exchange, while the shallower part is influenced by current recharge, although the pumping wells located on the well-field downstream penetrate the aquifer fully. A direct exchange of water from the Sava River and groundwater occurs in the near vicinity of the river. This exchange weakens further away, while the difference in hydrogeochemical characteristics between the Sava River water and groundwater increases.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express their gratitude to Croatian Water Resources Management, P.E., for the financial support of the research. We also wish to acknowledge colleagues from the Croatian Geological Institute who worked on the previous phases of the research and made some unpublished technical reports.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Croatian Natural History Museum, Demetrova 1, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Tatjana Vlahović

  2. Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering, Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Andrea Bačani & Kristijan Posavec

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  1. Tatjana Vlahović
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  2. Andrea Bačani
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  3. Kristijan Posavec
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Correspondence to Tatjana Vlahović.

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Vlahović, T., Bačani, A. & Posavec, K. Hydrogeochemical stratification of the unconfined Samobor aquifer (Zagreb, Croatia). Environ Geol 57, 1707–1722 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1452-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1452-4

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