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Assessment of regional flow type and groundwater sensitivity to pollution using hydrograph analyses and hydrochemical data of the Selita and Blue Eye karst springs, Albania

Evaluation des types d’écoulements régionaux et de la sensibilité des eaux souterraines aux pollutions par l’utilisation des analyses d’hydrogrammes et des données hydrochimiques des sources karstiques Selita et Blue Eye, Albanie

Evaluación del tipo de flujo regional y de la sensibilidad de las aguas subterráneas a la contaminación utilizando análisis hidrográficos y datos hidroquímicos de los manantiales kársticos Selita y Blue Eye, Albania

利用水文分析和阿尔巴尼亚喀斯特Selita和Blue Eye泉的水化学数据评估区域水流类型和地下水对污染的敏感性

O uso de hidrogramas e dados hidrogeoquímicos para a avaliação do tipo de fluxo e a susceptibilidade da água subterrânea à contaminação nas nascentes em carste de Selita e Blue Eye, Albânia

Hodnotenie regionálneho typu prúdenia podzemnej vody a jej senzitivity voči znečisteniu pomocou analýzy výtokových čiar a hydrochemických vlastností vôd krasových prameňov Selita a Blue Eye, Albánsko

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Abstract

The assessment of groundwater vulnerability/sensitivity to pollution in karstic aquifers usually concentrates on recognition of fast-flow (conduit flow) and slow-flow (diffuse flow) components or intermediate regimes and their ratio in the total discharged volume. Analysis of master recession curves and correlation between physical characteristics of springs and temporal variations in spring water chemistry were applied to two major karst springs of Albania: Selita Spring (mean discharge 510 L s−1), exploited for Tirana water supply, and Blue Eye Spring (mean discharge 18,182 L s−1), used for electric power generation. These springs are recharged by precipitation in two very different karst areas with respect to their karstification degree, which influences also groundwater circulation patterns within karstic aquifers. Different regional groundwater flow types are subsequently reflected in the different spring hydrographs and in the temporal hydrochemical variations. Based on the spring master recession curves, Selita Spring is characterised as a conduit spring where the fast-flow component represents the majority of groundwater flow, and its catchment area should be linked with a high degree of sensitivity to pollution. On the other hand, in the discharge regime of Blue Eye Spring, the slow-flow component dominates, and although having a discharge of one order of magnitude bigger, this is a diffuse-flow spring and its catchment area should have lower sensitivity to potential pollution. The same results were also confirmed by statistical treatment of the temporal variations in spring water chemistry and evidence of surface karst phenomena in their recharge areas.

Résumé

L'évaluation de la vulnérabilité/sensibilité des eaux souterraines à la pollution dans les aquifères karstiques se concentre en général sur l’identification des composantes d’écoulements rapides (écoulement en conduit) et lents (écoulements diffus) ou des régimes intermédiaires et leurs parts dans les volumes totaux écoulés. L’analyse des courbes maîtresse de récession et de la corrélation entre les caractéristiques physiques des sources et les variations temporelles de la chimie des eaux de source ont été appliquées à deux sources karstiques majeures d’Albanie : la source Selita (débit moyen 510 L s–1), exploitée pour l’approvisionnement en eau de Tirana et la source Blue Eye (débit moyen 18,182 L s–1), utilisé pour la production d’électricité. Ces sources sont rechargées par les précipitations dans deux zones karstiques très différentes vis à vis de leur degré de karstification, ce qui influence aussi les schémas de circulation des eaux souterraines au sein des aquifères karstiques. Différents types d’écoulement souterrain régionaux sont par suite reflétés dans les hydrogrammes de source différents et dans les variations temporelles hydrochimiques. Sur la base des courbes maitresse de récession, la source Selita se caractérise comme une source de conduit où la composante d’écoulements rapides représente la majeure partie de l’écoulement souterrain, et son bassin d’alimentation devrait être lié à un haut niveau de sensibilité à la pollution. Par ailleurs pour les régimes d’écoulements de la source Blue Eye, la composante d’écoulements lents domine, et bien qu’ayant des débits d’un ordre de grandeur supérieur, cette source est de type à écoulement diffus et son bassin d’alimentation devrait avoir une sensibilité inférieure à des pollutions potentielles. Les mêmes résultats ont été confirmés par traitement statistiques des variations temporelles de la chimie de l’eau de la source et des signes de phénomènes karstiques dans les zones de recharge.

Resumen

La evaluación de la vulnerabilidad/sensibilidad de las aguas subterráneas a la contaminación en los acuíferos kársticos suele concentrarse en el reconocimiento de los componentes de flujo rápido (flujo de conducto) y de flujo lento (flujo difuso) o regímenes intermedios y su relación con el volumen total descargado. El análisis de las curvas patrón de recesión y la correlación entre las características físicas de los manantiales y las variaciones temporales en la química del agua del manantial se aplicaron a dos de los principales manantiales kársticos de Albania: el manantial Selita (descarga media de L s–1), explotado para el suministro de agua de Tirana, y el manantial Blue Eye (descarga media de 18,182 L s–1), utilizado para la generación de energía eléctrica. Estos manantiales son recargados por la precipitación en dos áreas kársticas muy diferentes con respecto a su grado de karstificación, lo que influye también en los patrones de circulación de las aguas subterráneas dentro de los acuíferos kársticos. Diferentes tipos de flujo de agua subterránea regional se reflejan posteriormente en los diferentes hidrogramas de los manantiales y en las variaciones hidroquímicas temporales. Basado en las curvas patrón de recesión del manantial, Selita Spring se caracteriza como un manantial de conducto donde el componente de flujo rápido representa la mayor parte del flujo de agua subterránea, y su área de captación debe estar vinculada con un alto grado de sensibilidad a la contaminación. Por otro lado, en el régimen de descarga del Blue Eye Spring, domina el componente de flujo lento, y aunque tiene una descarga de un orden de magnitud mayor, se trata de un manantial de flujo difuso y su área de captación debería tener menor sensibilidad a la contaminación potencial. Los mismos resultados también fueron confirmados por el tratamiento estadístico de las variaciones temporales en la química del agua de manantial y la evidencia de fenómenos kársticos superficiales en sus áreas de recarga.

摘要

岩溶含水层中地下水脆弱性/污染敏感性的评估通常聚焦于识别快速流(管道流)和慢速流(扩散流)组分或中间流动及其在总排泄量中的比率。主退水曲线分析以及泉物理特性与泉水水化学时间变化之间的相关性被应用于阿尔巴尼亚的两个主要岩溶泉:用于地拉那供水Selita 泉(平均排泄量510 L s–1), 和用于发电的Blue Eye 泉(平均排泄量18,182 L s–1)。这些泉在两个截然不同岩溶率的喀斯特地区得到降水补给, 这也影响了岩溶含水层内的地下水循环模式。不同的泉水水文图和水化学的时间变化随后反映了不同的区域地下水流动类型。基于泉水主退水曲线, Selita泉具有管道流特征, 其中快速流代表了大部分地下水流量, 其集水区域应与污染的高度敏感性相关。另一方面, 在Blue Eye泉的排泄系统中, 缓慢流占主导地位, 虽然排泄量大一个数量级, 但仍是一个扩散流动泉, 其集水区应具有较低的潜在污染敏感性。统计获得的泉水水化学时间变化特征和补给区表层岩溶现象的证据, 也证实了相同的结果。

Resumo

A avaliação da vulnerabilidade/sensibilidade das águas subterrâneas à poluição nos aquíferos cársticos concentra-se habitualmente na identificação dos componentes de fluxo rápido (fluxo de conduto) e fluxo lento (fluxo difuso) ou regime intermediário e a sua relação com o volume total de descarga. A análise de curvas mestre de recessão e correlação entre as características físicas de nascentes e as variações temporais na hidroquímica de nascente foram aplicadas às duas principais fontes cársticas da Albânia: nascente Selita (descarga média de 510 L s–1), explorada para o abastecimento de água de Tirana e nascente Blue Eye (vazão média 18,182 L s–1), utilizada para geração de energia elétrica. Estas nascentes são recarregadas por precipitação em duas áreas cársticas muito diferentes em relação ao seu grau de carstificação o que também influencia os padrões de circulação das águas subterrâneas dentro de aquíferos cársticos. Os diferentes tipos regionais de fluxo de água subterrânea são refletidos em diferentes hidrogramas de nascentes e nas variações hidroquímicas temporais. Com base nas curvas mestre de recessão da primavera, a nascente Selita é caracterizada como uma nascente de conduto onde a componente de fluxo rápido representa a maior parte do fluxo de água subterrânea, e sua área de captação deve estar associada a um alto grau de sensibilidade à poluição. Por outro lado, no regime de descarga da nascente Blue Eye, o componente de fluxo lento domina, e apesar de ter a descarga em uma ordem de grandeza maior, esta é uma fonte de fluxo difuso e a sua área de captação deve ter menor sensibilidade à poluição potencial. Os mesmos resultados foram também confirmados mediante o tratamento estatístico das variações temporais da hidroquímica de nascente e pela evidência de fenômenos cársticos superficiais em suas áreas de recarga.

Abstrakt

Posudzovanie stupňa zraniteľnosti podzemnej vody/jej citlivosti na prípadnú kontamináciu vychádza v prípade krasových zvodnencov z detekcie rýchlych odtokových zložiek prúdenia (kanálových subrežimov), zastúpenia odtokových zložiek s pomalým prietokom (difúzny odtok) a prípadnej prítomnosti prechodných subrežimov na celkovom odtokovom množstve. Analýza výtokových čiar prameňov a korelácia jej výsledkov s ďalšími fyzikálno-chemickými vlastnosťami vôd boli aplikované na podzemné vody dvoch veľkých krasových prameňov v Albánsku: prameňa Selita (priemerná výdatnosť 510 L s–1), využívaného na zásobovanie mesta Tirana pitnou vodou a prameňa Blue Eye (priemerná výdatnosť 18,182 L s–1), využívaného na výrobu elektrickej energie. Tieto pramene sú dopĺňané zrážkovou vodou v dvoch od seba veľmi odlišných krasových oblastiach, najmä vzhľadom na stupeň ich skrasovatenia. To následne ovplyvňuje aj spôsob obehu podzemnej vody v týchto krasových hydrogeologických štruktúrach. Rôzne regionálne typy prúdenia podzemnej vody sa následne prejavujú na forme ich hydrogramov ako aj na variabilite chemického zloženia vôd v čase. Na základe typickej výtokovej čiary možno režim podzemných vôd prameňa Selita charakterizovať ako vyslovene krasovo–kanálový, kde zložka rýchleho odtoku reprezentuje väčšinu jeho celkovej výdatnosti. Infiltračnej oblasti prameňa Selita by preto mal byť prisudzovaný vysoký stupeň senzitivity voči potenciálnej kontaminácii. Na druhej strane vo výtokovej čiare prameňa Blue Eye dominuje zložka pomalého odtoku, a hoci je jeho výdatnosť až o jeden rád vyššia, ide o prameň s difúznym (laminárnym) odtokom a jej infiltračná oblasť by mala byť menej zraniteľná. Uvedené výsledky boli zároveň v súlade s charakterom časových zmien chemického zloženia vôd, ako aj s geomorfologickými charakteristikami povrchových krasových javov v infiltračných oblastiach týchto prameňov.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are also grateful to Timothy J. Hazlett, Gareth James Davies and two other anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments and advice aimed at improvements to this paper.

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic and for the EU structural funds (ASFEU) through the project ‘Výskum dopadu klimatickej zmeny na dostupné množstvá podzemných vôd v SR a vytvorenie expertného GIS [Research into the impact of climate change on the available groundwater resources in the Slovak Republic and the creation of expert GIS]’ (ITMS code: 26220220002, Operational Programme Research and Development).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Service of Albania, Tirana, Albania

    Romeo Eftimi

  2. Štátny geologický ústav Dionýza Štúra - Geological Survey of Slovak Republic, Mlynská dolina 1, 817 04, Bratislava 11, Slovakia

    Peter Malík

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  1. Romeo Eftimi
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  2. Peter Malík
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Correspondence to Peter Malík.

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Eftimi, R., Malík, P. Assessment of regional flow type and groundwater sensitivity to pollution using hydrograph analyses and hydrochemical data of the Selita and Blue Eye karst springs, Albania. Hydrogeol J 27, 2045–2059 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-019-01974-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-019-01974-5

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