Analysis of Natural Vulnerability of Groundwater Intakes to Migration of Surface Pollutants Based on a Selected Part of the Dunajec River Basin

摘要

The article presents the evaluation of the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution with the use of the DRASTIC method and by determining the vertical filtering time through the aeration zone on the example of the groundwater intake in the Dunajec River valley. The study area was further divided into 3 catchment areas, equivalent to the 3 terraces of the river valley (characterized by different hydrodynamic properties). With the help of the DRASTIC method one made valuable analysis of individual environmental characteristics in terms of their protective functions for the analyzed water-bearing system and estimated vertical migration time, which served for the assessment of the level of exposing waters to potential conservative pollutants. The performed analyses demonstrated medium vulnerability in the case of cut-in-fill terrace and high vulnerability in the case of non-flood terrace and flood plain terrace. The results were used to develop a map representing spatial distribution of groundwater pollution vulnerability. There exists a correlation between the applied methods of vulnerability evaluation in a porous hydrogeological medium - the calculation of vertical infiltration time and the DRASTIC index. Conducted analyses give the possibility of implementation of obtained results for planning works and their use in putting into action appropriate methods of risk manipulation.