KT

MROGEOLOGY
OFRONTA
tdited hy:
lancu 0nA$ill\lu
Homanian Association of llydrogeologists

Adrian IlJRl(IIUUICZ
D[GGA, University of Bucharest

ssa
BE LVE D E R[
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Descrierea CIF a Bibliotecii Nalionale a RomAniei

onApEeNU, rANCU
Karst hydrogeology of Romania I Iancu Origeanu, Adrian
Iurkiewicz. - Oradea : Belvedere, 2010
rsBN 978-6 06-92444-0-r
-. i ;:",-:u-icz, Adrian
:: _ __:
 Avant-propos
tditors
^ he large palette of forms and aspects character-
,ing the karst areas is the result of specific geologic
-rd hydrogeologic complex; it equally integrates
,=-tors active nowadays with processes inherited
:--rm the past. From a site to another the extreme
-::erogeneity and complex organization of the
:JSr environment determine the selection of re-
,
=.-rch methods and their complementary utiliza-
- -:r. These methods should normally ensure a
-t'icient knowledge of the internal functionaliry
, :he system and its hydrodynamics. On their
. '.:s. the estimation of some local characteristics
-: forecasted reaction at system outlet/outlets
- --d be valuable assets as well.
- , -. drogeology the theories regarding the water
i ,'.','lng through permeable horizons constantly
-.": ,-.sed on the host rock and its characteristics on
- and the modelling agent which is water on
-:= 'ide
-,:her. The assemblage usually constitutes an
- , -ii that develops into extremely particular sys-
::-,i in comparison with other type of aquifers,
-
::i-\'er the host rock is predominantly carbon-
',
,- righlysoluble;
. - :-rsranding hydrology of karst areas firstly de-
: : - - j cn the adequate assessment of the geologi-
. -,d srructural aspects framing the setting of the
..-: :rrre layers. The next step of the same pre-
* A comprehensive review has been devoted to karst
:,{-phase is evaluating the karstification de-
. -: : ,:::orJgh the presence or the absence of the
--.:-
" karst phenomena. Exploring caves and
j
-- -: is equally a challenging adventure but can
' : , ) r m€ key insights to karstification processes
,' : -:-: internal structure of a karst aquifer. Most
, - : ----se leatures can be surveyed and digitized
-:i or local scale, transferred to data bases
: -aie r on being interpreted or statistically
'.
::. This is usually the base on which the
-..i' concerning the aquifer structure and
, ..,:-: are formulated and tested.
Some karst areas in Romania got their notorien-
from an assiduous research activity going back ro
19'h century. Thus, the Austrian geographer A.
Schmidl has published in Vienna, in 1863, his
book titled ,,Das Bihar Gebirge and der Grenze
von ungar und Siebenburgen" that is the first im-
portant study dedicated to karst phenomena in-
cluding data concerning fresh, mineral and ther-
mal springs explored in one of the most spectacular
Romanian karst area i.e the Bihor Mountains.
In 1901, the Romanian geologist S. Mihufa has
conducted the first tracer test of a subterranean
(underground) stream in Romania. The Tarina
stream was labelled with charcoal powder that
demonstrated the hydrological connection be-
tween CAmpeneasca Cave in Vagciu Plateau and
Boiu spring in Vagciu town (S. Mihugia, 1904).
Systematic researches on the hydrology in karst
landforms of Romania were carried out by promi-
nent scientists of the Institute of Speleology "Emil
Racovita" (ISER) and the Institute of Geography.
Identif ing the groundwater flow paths by means
of tracer tests was an obvious concern that sup-
ported their working hypothesis regarding the
karstification and the karst evolution in relevant
areas.
genesis and karstology in I974 by Marcian Bleahu
a well-known geologist and karstologist as well.
Throughout the coming years its impressive syn-
thesis dedicated to karst morphology has been
considered among the most important references
in the field of karstology.
An important support to the research of karst hy-
drology has been provided by the Department of
Tracers of the Institute of Physics and Nuclear
Energy (IFIN) lead by Emilian Gagpar, the author
of the important monographic book "Modern
Trends In Tracer Hydrology" published in 1987
in USA.
\We shall not fail to remember a long list of coi-
leagues and professionals, experts or simple but
enthusiast speleologists which by protession or
following their hobbies spent their energ' rcr rhe
knowledge of karst hydrogeolo$- ir F.omania
marking it with noticeable conrribunons. Tr --::-:n
is dedicated the second chaprer --:fs :'r':k-
"-rf
A ver.\. aCtir-e 2n,j ..reX1,rlga::iS.,j. :rl---';I11rr-i tri
enthusiasts fu;'. i::g 'p-i-.-';o5:ci hob!:e ' i::ge *"-
conrribr.lre C ro ca'!-. . i;au-r.,--J-r' er-pior:lg an,l sur.-e;
so rhat Romanian car-e inr-enron- reacheci at rhe
end of eighries '80 some 12000 oicaves' This is
hos-ever an amazing number of caves u-hen con-
sidering the relatively low percentage of carbonate
rocks outcropping in Romania.
The milestone discovery of Movile cave and it's
fascinating but isolated ecosystem boosted also the
hydrogeological researches dedicated to thermo-
mineral waters in the southern part of Dobrogea
region.
The socio-economic development and more ac-
tual the climate changes can lead to critical situa-
tions from the water supply point of view impos-
ing a relevant evaluation of the karst aquifers
potential and the opportunities to make an effi-
cient use of it.
This is why improving the knowledge on karst
aquifer resources, targeting the delineation of their
spatial extension and functioning parameters was
considered a prior task not only for karst scientists
but also for the technical staff of some relevant
companies dealing with various hydrogeology and
hydrology aspects. The main goal being thus de-
fined, a large research programme of ground*-ater
in karst systems has been elaborated and graduallr-
implemented on a time span of more than 3 j vears
by few teams of the Hydrogeology Department of
the Romanian company Prospecgiuni SA in Bu-
charest.
These researches have followed a routine frame-
workwhich was developed and sffengthened dur-
ing the years and always took in account the rich
amount of information coming from a large spec-
trum of professionals and experts mostly from
ISER, IFIN and Meteorological and Hydrological
4
Institute (INMH) that actually enjoyed their par-
ticipation to this programme. Numerous cam-
paigns of field survey, spring and stream gauging,
water sampling or tracef tests were carried out
sometimes even in harsh conditions. The results
rvere frequently communicated and published,
most paft in the frame of the proceedings of Theo-
retical andApplied Kdrstologt symposium that took
place rvith an annual or biennial frequency.
The present volume is in fact a follow up of the ef-
fbru made beginningwithlgg4 under the umbrella
oi the Ronanian Association of Hydrogeologists
R{]i . This first attempt aiming at bringing to-
gerher rie ar aiiable data meet at that time only a
ptt i"l agreement of rhe professionals more or less
inr olr ed in karst hvdrogeology. Since that moment
nerv signi,ficant karst regions in Romania were con-
sistendy sun'eved so that actually most of karst ar-
eas have a satisfacorv degree of knowledge concern-
ing the characteristics of the aquifer systems and the
availabiliry of water resources.
Karst areas are among the most vulnerable to pol-
lution thus being significantly threatened by the
anthropic impact. Numerous researches in the
frame of dedicated projects have demonstrated
that continuous leakage of wastes to the ground
and bellow, no mather if intentionalv or acciden-
tally, lead too a progressive pollution of the
groundwater. This gradually become a non return
phenomenon. The number of chemical compo-
nents and the diversity of the human activities that
may modify the physical and the chemical prop-
erties of the groundwater increases daily' They
represent a potential danger to karst aquifers and
particularly to those used for public water supply.
One of the main goals of the European Program
COST - Action 65 finalised in 1995, was to de-
velop a protection strategy for groundwater from
karst areas, taking into account the specific vulner-
abilin- of these zones. Following the directions es-
tablished bv the previous program, the COST -
Acrion 620 has continued the researches by devel-
oping unbiased methodologies based on physical
principles to evaluate the specific and intrinsic vul-
nerability to pollution for carbonate/karst aquifers'
To this extent, our main target was to provide the
ground on which such researches should develop
to preserve in adequate conditions the actual re-
sources of the Romanian karst aquifers. Neverthe-
iess this is also a good opportunity ro make more
visible the acquired results in a consistenr frame
and it is hoped that the new coming professionals
rvill find a reliable reference to guide and support
their researches.
The book is structured according to rhe hydro-
reologic type of karst as identified and described in
:ts introductive chapter. According to this classifi-
:ation the first group is that of or of Carpathian
Crogene harst type (Mountain harst type) including
-ie most spectacular and largest number of karst
=reas. Starting with Eastern Carpathians passing
--:rough the Southern ones and ending with the
lo. esternCarpathians the hydrogeologic aspects of
:-levant karst zones included in the Romanian chain
:: mountains are presented.
.he karst type of the North Dobrogea Orogene (The
::,replene karst 4tpe), with carbonate deposits in-
,rh-ed in complicated geological structures and a
i-:r ropography mirrored in reduced water table
-:dient is added as well.
j'r. eral specific topics compose the baseline of each
:.::uibution prepared by different authors. Thus,
u=.rXogy, tectonics and delineation of main karst
i:':r.ms, tracer tests, hydrochemistry and water
: -;Eet can be considered as the skeleton ofeach
;-:: contribution.
-':.: platforme karst type is represented by the one
; i --le most important aquifer system in Romania
ii:i oart of Bulgaria covering the south-eastern
:'i: - of the country in Dobrogea area. Numerous
.:miches using a large palette of methods from
r::irgic surveys and geophysics to drilling wells
u*'n,r isotop€ tracing were employed for the assess-
rr€:r of water resources, water balance, hydrody-
r;--:-i;s and modeling activities.
'i::c or less similar topics were considered also
ryrnr:r presenting the fourth hydrogeologic type of
,uL:r" the one develop ed in post-tectonic couers (the
wn;,;,tg karst). A minor number of karst aquifers
,rLLs;-;.,-ing however some potential in terms of
nru:::irr- and qualiry of water resources has been
m'
'x:rEated, the main one being summarized and
:""r.:;ned for the first time hereto.
- :';:cular group of aquifers related to carbonate
;r"-r i '.: rhat of thermo-mineral waters. Relevant
data oudining the hvdrogeology of some famous
spa and one srill mineral u.ater brand are presented
within dris last panel of papers.
The authors are solelr- responsible for the pre-
sented data. The inteqpretarion ald all results re-
flect their efforts but also their vision to the
hydrogeological characterization of rhe relevant
areas. The editors only recomrnended and insisted
for a relatively standardized profile of rhe texrual
and graphical content.
\7e firstly thank our sponsor, the Romanian Fed-
eration of Speleologt The almost endless patience
in waiting us to complere rhe initial version of the
volume as well as their support to surpass the tech-
nical difficulties is gratefully acknowledged.
During the years most authors have been encour-
aged by their institutions to publish and confront
the concluded ideas with those of other experts.
Companies, research institutes or governmental
entities as National Agenry for Mineral Resources,
Prospecgiuni Company, ISER" IFiN, INMH In-
stitute of Study and Design for Land Reclamation
and the Romanian chapter of the International
Association of Hydrogeologists QAH) have been al-
ways close to karst hydrogeolo gy by organizing
specific scientific errents and backing the associated
publishing actiyity. In the name of the authors we
warmly shall thank the managerial board of these
institutions for their large support provided dur-
ing the implementation of different projects and
research activities.
\fle are also in great debt to our colleagues that
long ago submitted their contributions and per-
haps lost any hope to see it published. The ulti-
mate issuance of the volume will likely take them
by surprise. To them and to all other authors that,
contrituted this volume we shall address orrorp.-
cial thanls.
Various motives of higher priority have lengthened
some of our colleagues in their effort to meet even
alargely delayed deadline that eventually has been
imposed. They are however thank for their con-
stant involvement in karst hydrogeology aspects
hoping that a further and more complete edition
of this book will coyer even those aspects that ac-
cidentally could not be included in this version.
I
!

IABTI OI COI'ITII\ITS

3
AVANT-PROPOS ..,..
6
TABLE OF CONTENTS

CI|APTIR 1 .. . .. .,..... -+,-r^:::-:; ::-:IG 0NiL

..' ...' .. s
CLASSIFICATION 0FTHE KARST """' 11
CARB0NATE DEPOSIIS IN ROMANI:
lancu 0RA$EANU

2,,.........
0HAPTIH . ROMANIA
........ ... 17

SHORTHISTORY0F--l-',::;::-:: :I-',,:S-350'.S l:-l! KARSTIN ""' 19

lancu 0RA$EANU

cHAnER 3 l|YDB0Et0t0El[AL [Otl0m0ils 0F THt |(AR$ ARTAS ......,........21

Adrian IURKIEWCZ

3 2 HAGHIMA$ KARSTIC MASSIF

Gigi Paul DRAG0MIR

3.3. P0STAVARU MASS1F.................

lancu 0RA$EANU
3.4. BUCEGI MASSIF ........-..... ..

Dan SIAVOACA, Huxandra SIAV0ACA, Alexandru ISTRATE

3.5. DAMBOVICIOARA PASSAGE

tancu 0RA$EANU

3.6. PARANG AND CAPATAt\tt vtounrrnlNs ............. """' 6e

Gheorghe BANDRABUR, Rddila BANDRABUR

Gheorghe BANDRABUR, Rddila BANDRABUR

3.8. JIUL DE VEST-CERNI$OARA BA$lNl_..,=.-

loan P0VARA, Gheorghe P0NTA, Alexandru
105
/......
Adrian IURKIEWICZ
3,10, MEHEDINTI MOUNTAINS AND PLATEAU
Gheorghe BANDRABUH, loan P0VAHA, nadrF BANDRABUR

3.11. BANAT MOUNTAINS iRE$ITA-M0LDOVA N0UA SYNCLINORIUM) ........... .""' 131

Adrian IURKIEWICZ

3.12. POIANA RUSCA MOUNTAINS ...... 169

Gheorghe BANDRABUH, Rddila BANDRABUR