Speleo House | Science and education center

The focus of the research conducted in the framework of the EU project ŽIVO! is dedicated to the three karst springs whose basins have cross-border character, and which are important for the supply of the Slovenian and Croatian parts of Istria with drinking water (source Rižane, Sv. Ivan and Bulaž), as well as a source Mlini, where the manifestations of leakage and water quality in sources were investigated in the context of the dynamics of the change of state in their basins. The research included the analysis of rainfall and other influential climate parameters and the water of surface watercourses/underground streams, the state (quantity, chemistry, microbiological characteristics) of underground waters (via measuring devices in caves/karst pits and springs where these waters flow out). In addition to the above mentioned main sources of water supply, the situation on more occasional karst springs belonging to the same source system was monitored. Sediment is sampled for quality analysis at the sources, underground streams and caves.

Besides these measurements of the climate and hydrological conditions, a detailed analysis of the impact of hydrological changes on water quality and quality of waters during a selected rain event after a longer dry period, was carried out as a basis for assessing the dynamics of waterborne pollution load in karst aquifers.

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