engleski

Impact of land use on groundwater quality in south Dalmatia test area

DRINKADRIA project in South Dalmatia test area includes two catchments: spring Prud and Blatsko polje. All surrounding inhabited area is supplied by groundwater from these cathment areas.Water supply systems of spring Prud and Blatsko polje are typical seasonal with uneven consumption during the year. Maximum rates are always extracted in the summer seasons when the need for water is increased as a result of tourism and agricultural production, while the recharge in this half of the year is usually minimal or none. Human activities commonly affect the distribution, quantity, and quality of water resources. A broad range of human activities affects water resources. Major negative impacts on groundwater quality in these areas are agricultural activities and sea water intrusions. In this paper, the basic groundwater quality parameters of the investigated area are presented. Land use map, analysis of trends of major quality indicators was estimated to establish a negative influence on groundwater. Evaluated trends of changes in Corine land cover shows that there is no significant change in land use categories over the years.Trend analysis of chloride and nitrate has shown that values are quite dispersed at both sites, but long-term trends are negative or stagnating. In spite of this, due to the fact that water supply system of spring Prud is currently under construction which plans to double the amount of pumping, as well as the negative predictions of climate changes, it is necessary systematic monitoring and analysis of trends in water quality in order to timely detect possible adverse changes in water quality.

land use; groundwater; karst

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