Karst and vaucluse springs from the Polish Tatra Mts. Results of long-term stationary investigations

Abstract

Kraški (vokliški) izviri, ki dovajajo vodo iz kraško-razpoklinskega sistema, so nastali z razvojem krasa na tem ozemlju. To so obenem glavni vir hidrografskih podatkov o preučevanem kraškem ozemlju. V Tatrah na Poljskem že dolgo poteka zvezno opazovanje površinskih in podzemeljskih voda. Skupina prof. D. Małecka je sredi 70-tih let zastavila opazovalno mrežo z vodomeri vzdolž najpomembnejših tatranskih vodotokov prav do izvirov in z opazovalnimi mesti na največjih izvirih oziroma vokliških izvirih. Vodomere so večkrat mesečno odčitavali opazovalci (običajno uslužbenci Tatranskega narodnega parka). 1998 je Nacionalni odbor za znanstvene raziskave odobril triletni projekt z naslovom “Ugotavljanje zadrževalnih sposobnosti in hitrost denudacije na krasu poljskih Tater na podlagi opazovanj vokliških izvirov”. Skladno s tem projektom so bili novembra in decembra 1998 nameščeni avtomatski limnimetri na izbrane (pet) vokliške izvire.

Karst (vaucluse) springs, transporting water from fissure-karst systems, result from karst development in the area. At the same time, they are the main source of information on the hydrography of the investigated karst area. Continuous monitoring of groundwaters and surface waters in the Tatra Mountains in Poland takes place for a long time. In the mid-70-ties, the team of Prof. D. Małecka organized an observation network, with water marks along the main Tatra streams right to their outlets from the massif, and with observation points of the largest springs and vaucluse springs. Readings from water marks were collected several times each month by the observers (usually Tatra National Park employees). In 1998 the National Committee for Scientific Research approved a three-year research project entitled: ˝Determination of retention abilities and the dynamics of denudation in the karst areas of the Polish Tatra Mountains basing on stationary investigations of vaucluse springs˝. In accordance with this project, between November and December 1998 automatic limnimeters were installed in selected vaucluse (five) springs.