Delineation of a Karst Catchment Area Using Several Methods – an Example of Plitvice Lakes Catchment

International Conference and Field Seminar Karst Without Boundaries

DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT

Hrvoje MEAŠKI, Božidar BIONDIĆ, Ranko BIONDIĆ University of Zagreb, Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering, Croatia

11-15 June 2014 Trebinje (Bosnia & Herzegovina) - Dubrovnik (Croatia) INTRODUCTION SLOVENIA HUNGARY The main topic Plitvice Lakes Catchment, which is a part of BiH the Plitvice Lakes National Park

ITALY Karst area situated in the Dinarides, about 60 km from the Adriatic Sea a wider area has been designated a NP since 1949 … and since 1979 has been included on the UNESCO List of World Heritage

Total surface area of the NP is about 297 km² H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 2 Plitvice Lakes Catchment (PLC) Other catchments within the NP are the catchments of the… The determination of the catchment area provides the basis for all water …Lička Jasenica balance calculations … upper Korana River Basic catchment areas determined earlier, during the course of the international project (2008)

The observed PLC area is approximately 152 km 2 …Prijeboj’s It is the largest catchment within ponors …Gacka the Plitvice Lakes National Park springs It belongs to the Danube (Black Sea) catchment …Korenička River

H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 3 The most prominent (surface) water occurrences …at the first place a cascading lake system which was created by the biodynamic process of tufa barrier growth There are currently about 16 lakes surfaces and forms are constantly changing over time – the largest are Kozjak and Prošćansko Lake

…besides the well- known lake system also numerous permanent karst springs the most important Crna River , Bijela River and Plitvica

H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 4 METHODS AND RESULTS Delineation of the subcatchment areas was carried out using three basic sets of data:

Hydrogeological data represents the basic data that is needed to define the conceptual position of the catchments and subcatchments Hydrological and meteorological analyses were used to quantify the presumed hydrogeological catchments were then confirmed by the iteration principle Hydrochemical data discrete data influenced by the catchment area was used for verification of obtained results

H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 5 Hydrogeological research In the Dinaric karst area the dynamics of groundwater are related to the process of karstification of carbonate rocks of Mesozoic age Geotectonic and geodynamic evolution of the Dinarides has had a great impact on those processes

Into consideration were taken hydrogeological characteristics and water permeability assessments, position of sources and sinks karst geomorphological features results of tracing tests from the wider area, etc.

6 Water balance determination The basic elements required to calculate the water balance, after assuming the hydrogeological catchment area - spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall, runoff and evapotranspiration amount

…temperature …precipitation …evapotranspiration

H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 7 Flow rates analysis

Matica (no.3) 73% Crna River (no.1) 24% Bijela River (no.2) unknown 3%

Kozjak Bridge (no.6) 68% Matica 12% Rječica (no.5) 9% lakes catchment 4% Sušanj (no.4) 3.5% water capture 3.5% missing

H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 8 Hydrochemical analyses Characterization of hydrochemical development Determination of chemical changes Spotting of potential anthropogenic impacts Helping with the delineation of PLC

Measurements of physical and chemical parameters, water sampling and laboratory analysis – during two hydrological years

H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 9 6,0 ● izvori ▲ vodotoci 6,0 5,5 ■ jezera ● izvor Bijele rijeke (BRI) RR osnovne točke ● izvor Crne rijeke (CRI) 5,6 SARI dodatne točke ● izvor Plitvica (PLI) 5,0 LIMI BRI SARR vodotok Rječica (RR) ● (meq/l)(meq/l) LESI 5,2 33 PLI 4,5 PROJ (meq/l) (meq/l) MR PR 33 CRI

4,8 HCO HCO

HCO HCO EC 4,0 HCO 3 = 0,0124 0,746 KR 2 KOZJ 4,4 R = 0,96 3,5 7,1 4,0 500 475 450 425 ● 400 izvori 375 350 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0 2,5 3,0 3,5 4,0LESI 4,5 7,4 CRI ▲ vodotoci Ca 2+ / Mg 2+ EL. VODLJIVOSTµµµ ■ S/cm) ( jezera

)) PLI ++ 7,7 osnovne točke BRI dodatne točke It is Ca-HCO 3 - CaMg-HCO 3 water 90 8,0 IZVORI 90 ULAZ U SUSTAV RJIGORNJA JEZERA KOZJAK DONJAJEZERA JEZ. IZLAZ IZ SUSTAVA MR 80 RR PROJ 80

pHpH (log(log8,3 H H KOZJ VODA IZ GLIR MRZI PLITVICE 70 PR KR 70 8,6 PRITOCI SARI …and followed by a brief overview SARR 60 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 1460 15 Mg 1,8 9,0 50 50 2+

2+ TEMPERATURA VODE (°C) (mg/l)

(mg/l) (mg/l) Ca 2+ 2+ NITRATI (mg/l) NITRATI 40 40 2+ /s) /s) Ca Ca Mg 33 1,2 6,0 30 30

20 20

0,6 3,0 10 10 VODA IZ PROPRO TO TO K K (m (m RJEČICE 0 0 BRI CRI MR PROJ VELJ BATJ GALJ GRAJ RR KOZJ MILJLJ KA PLI PR KR 0,0 0,0 cijelo razdoblje opažanja hladnije razdoblje (X.IV. mj.) toplije razdoblje (V.IX. mj.) 1/05 5/05 9/05 1/06 5/06 9/06 1/07 5/07 9/07 1/08cijelo razdoblje opažanja hladnije razdoblje (XIV mj.) toplije razdoblje (VIX mj.) protok (v.p. Rječica) nitrati (mjerna točka RR)

H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 10 Analysis of stable isotopes of water

Determination of the local meteoric water line Correlations of the δ 18 O and δD content in precipitation Determination of the δ 18 O and δD content in surface waters Identification of the mean recharge altitude of springs Determination of the mean residence time of groundwater

…again followed by a brief overview

H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 11 Analysis of stable isotopes of water

0 0 δD = 2,91T 92,7 3 R 2 = 0,7 30

6 60

9 90 δD (‰) (‰) (‰) OO

18 18 12 120 δδ δ 18 O 15 = 0,37T 13,4 150 R 2 = 0,7 350 18 0 180

300 21 3 210 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 250 TEMPERATURA 6ZRAKA (°C)

δ18O δD Linearni (δD)δ Linearni (δ18O) 200 9 18 O (‰) 150 12

100 15

MJ. KOLIČINA PADALINA (mm)(mm) KOLIČINAKOLIČINAPADALINA PADALINA MJ.MJ. 50 18

0 21 7/2003 1/2004 7/2004 1/2005 7/2005 1/2006 7/2006 padaline δ18O

H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 12 CONCLUSIONS

The PLC is a unique hydrogeological catchment… all waters are directed toward the lakes system, or the source area of the Korana River However …

Due to its specific hydrogeological conditions it can be divided into three main subcatchments: Matica , Plitvica and Jezera (Lakes)

H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 13 Matica subcatchment Matica River Qav. 2,09 m 3/s Includes all springs and streams that gravitate to the Matica River Covering about 55% of the PLC area Quantitatively about 2/3 of the total amount of water that flows into the lake Bijela River & Ljeskovac Qav. 0,448 m 3/s system Crna River Qav. 1,36 m 3/s Could be divided into the hydrogeological part of Crna River and Bijela River

H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 14 Jezera subcatchment Includes all direct inflows into the lake system Covering about 19% Jezera (Lakes) of the PLC area Quantitatively about 1/3 of the total amount of water that flows into the lake system Could be divided Sušanj Rječica into the hydrogeological part of Jezera (Lakes), Sušanj, and Rječica

H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 15 Plitvica subcatchment Sartuk Stream Qav. 0,094 m 3/s Includes all waters that gravitate to the Plitvica River Covering about 26% of the PLC area Flows directly across the Big Waterfall (78 m height) Great Waterfall into the area called Sastavci (starting point of the Korana River)

Could be divided into Plitvica Spring Qav. ? m 3/s the hydrogeological part of Plitvica Spring, Sartuk and Plitvica River

Plitvica River Qav. 0,655 m 3/s

H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 16 This delineation is not quite simple or unambiguous reason for delineation - more effective protection of water resources it is no longer advisable, nor sustainable to restrict majority of protection only to the narrow area around the lakes system but to the whole catchment system

Main data collection was carried out in the Plitvice Lakes in the period from 2005 to 2008 within the scientific project „Sustainable use and protection of water resources in the Plitvice Lakes National Park” (approved and financed by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport of Republic of Croatia) and in the framework of the international project „Sustainable utilization of water in the pilot area Plitvice Lakes” through the cooperation of the Joanneum Research Institute from Graz, Austria, and Geotechnical Engineering, University of Zagreb, Croatia (co-financed by the Government of Republic of Austria and Plitvice Lakes National Park).

H. Meaški et al. (2014) DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT 17 International Conference and Field Seminar Karst Without Boundaries

DELINEATION OF A KARST CATCHMENT AREA USING SEVERAL METHODS – AN EXAMPLE OF PLITVICE LAKES CATCHMENT

Hrvoje MEAŠKI, Božidar BIONDIĆ, Ranko BIONDIĆ University of Zagreb, Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering, Varaždin [email protected]

Thank you for your attention!

11-15 June 2014 Trebinje (Bosnia & Herzegovina) - Dubrovnik (Croatia)