{"title":"Statistical analysis of karst springs in Lower Austria","authors":"Clemens Schmalfuss, Lukas Plan, Rudolf Pavuza","doi":"10.17738/ajes.2023.0007","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Karst springs play a central role in Austria’s water supply. This paper aims to provide an overview of the karst springs of Lower Austria, analysing statistical correlations of spatial distribution, discharge, electrical conductivity (EC), and temperature. As part of a project with the provincial government of Lower Austria, older data from numerous studies have been combined with the self-generated data in a GIS database. This database contains data on 2056 karst springs. Most of the recorded springs are located in the Northern Calcareous Alps, although karst springs also occur in the Central Alpine Permomesozoic, the Waschberg zone and the Bohemian Massif, some of which are also of regional importance for drinking water supply. Chemical analyses show that limestone, dolomite and mixed springs are widespread in Lower Austria and occur with similar frequency. Gypsum springs, which are characterised by a significantly higher total mineral-isation, are also of regional importance. The statistical analysis shows that spring water temperatures correlate well with the mean annual air temperature at the mean catchment elevation. The temperature decrease with increasing elevation corresponds to the air temperature gradient in the Eastern Alps (0.47 °C/100 m). In addition, the springs show a negative correlation of the EC with the mean catchment elevation, which can be explained by a decrease in soil cover and thus reduced CO 2 uptake of the water, as well as dilution by rainwater. This leads to less carbonate dissolution, which is also reflected in less HCO 3 − contents. Corrected for the elevation effect, the investigated dolomite springs, have on average a 2.7% higher EC than limestone springs. A difference was also found between the Hauptdolomit and the Wettersteindolomit rock types, which are widespread in Lower Austria, with the latter displaying higher values on average by 2.2%. This indicates longer residence times of the spring water due to less karstification of the Wettersteindolomit.","PeriodicalId":55415,"journal":{"name":"Austrian Journal of Earth Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.6000,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Austrian Journal of Earth Sciences","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.17738/ajes.2023.0007","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"GEOSCIENCES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Abstract Karst springs play a central role in Austria’s water supply. This paper aims to provide an overview of the karst springs of Lower Austria, analysing statistical correlations of spatial distribution, discharge, electrical conductivity (EC), and temperature. As part of a project with the provincial government of Lower Austria, older data from numerous studies have been combined with the self-generated data in a GIS database. This database contains data on 2056 karst springs. Most of the recorded springs are located in the Northern Calcareous Alps, although karst springs also occur in the Central Alpine Permomesozoic, the Waschberg zone and the Bohemian Massif, some of which are also of regional importance for drinking water supply. Chemical analyses show that limestone, dolomite and mixed springs are widespread in Lower Austria and occur with similar frequency. Gypsum springs, which are characterised by a significantly higher total mineral-isation, are also of regional importance. The statistical analysis shows that spring water temperatures correlate well with the mean annual air temperature at the mean catchment elevation. The temperature decrease with increasing elevation corresponds to the air temperature gradient in the Eastern Alps (0.47 °C/100 m). In addition, the springs show a negative correlation of the EC with the mean catchment elevation, which can be explained by a decrease in soil cover and thus reduced CO 2 uptake of the water, as well as dilution by rainwater. This leads to less carbonate dissolution, which is also reflected in less HCO 3 − contents. Corrected for the elevation effect, the investigated dolomite springs, have on average a 2.7% higher EC than limestone springs. A difference was also found between the Hauptdolomit and the Wettersteindolomit rock types, which are widespread in Lower Austria, with the latter displaying higher values on average by 2.2%. This indicates longer residence times of the spring water due to less karstification of the Wettersteindolomit.
期刊介绍:
AUSTRIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES is the official journal of the Austrian Geological, Mineralogical and Palaeontological Societies, hosted by a country that is famous for its spectacular mountains that are the birthplace for many geological and mineralogical concepts in modern Earth science.
AUSTRIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCE focuses on all aspects relevant to the geosciences of the Alps, Bohemian Massif and surrounding areas. Contributions on other regions are welcome if they embed their findings into a conceptual framework that relates the contribution to Alpine-type orogens and Alpine regions in general, and are thus relevant to an international audience. Contributions are subject to peer review and editorial control according to SCI guidelines to ensure that the required standard of scientific excellence is maintained.