Complex Geo-Ecological Assessment of the Protection of Drinking Groundwater

Problems Statement and Purpose. This article is a continuation of the authors' previous publications on improving the methodical approach to assessing the vulnerability (protection) of drinking groundwater within the Dnipro-Donetsk artesian basin (DDAB) and is a practical component of these studies. In order to find and develop optimal forms of ecological safety management of drinking water supply for the region population, the authors' improved approach to assessing the vulnerability (protection) of drinking groundwater in the strategically important waters of buchak-kaniv aquifer (BKA) was tested. The purpose of article is the ecological and hydrogeological zoning of research area according to the danger of quality transformation of BKA groundwaters and the determination of zones of increased ecological danger of these waters quality reduction due to elements of surface and deep genesis. Data & Methods. The research is based on the analysis of results of drilling more than 950 wells in this region, as well as about 500 measurements of piezometric levels of BKA and the first interlayer aquifer during 1960-2020. Results. Complex systems of ecological and hydrogeological zoning of the territory of DDAB central part have been developed according to the degree of ecological danger of lowering the quality of BKA drinking groundwater. Zoning of the territory was carried out according to the danger of deterioration of these waters quality by man-made pollutants that enter the waters in the process of downward vertical filtration and migration from the earth surface. Ecologically dangerous areas with a potential decrease in the quality of BKA drinking groundwater due to elements of surface genesis (water intakes of Poltava, Lubny, Myrhorod, Velyka Bagachka, Krasnograd cities and some others) have been identified. Zoning of the territory was carried out according to the danger of deterioration of the BKA groundwater quality due to the upward migration of natural deep substandard waters. Ecologically dangerous areas with a potential decrease in groundwater quality due to elements of deep genesis (water intakes of Poltava, Romodan, Myrhorod, Shyshaky, Opishnia, Gadyach, Krasnograd, Karlivka cities and some others) have been identified. It is recommended to develop measures to increase the ecological safety of the population's drinking water supply: hydrogeochemical monitoring of characteristic indicators of water quality composition and optimization of the powerful water intakes operating modes (within ecologically dangerous territories); creation of new water intakes (within ecologically safe territories).

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Assessment of groundwater vulnerability within the cross-border areas of Ukraine and Poland

Medvid,

Yanush,

Solovey

et al. 2023

Visnyk of V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Series Geology. Geography. Ecology

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Problem statement. The growing global trend of groundwater consumption and excessive groundwater abstraction in many parts of the world requires an accurate and comprehensive assessment of the potential for groundwater resource development. The EU-WATERRES international project has begun developing a concept for coordinated management and harmonized monitoring of groundwater resources in the transboundary areas of Ukraine and Poland. Studying groundwater's natural protection status or vulnerability is a priority, as groundwater pollution has become a significant environmental problem in recent decades due to the growth of industrial production and agricultural activities. Study objective is to analyze the existing materials on the natural protection of groundwater within the study area and to quantify the vulnerability of the main useful aquifer (MUA) to surface pollution in the cross-border Polish-Ukrainian area. Methodology involves the quantitative method of groundwater vulnerability assessment by calculating the time of pollutant penetration into the aquifer through the aeration zone using the modified Bindemann formula and GIS. Research results. Studies have shown that the most vulnerable among MUA there is an unconfined alluvial Quaternary horizon (alQ) of the Syan and Dniester River basins. Throughout its entire development, its vulnerability corresponds to the "very high" category because of pollution from the surface caused by precipitation filtration. The Upper Cretaceous aquifer (K2) is less vulnerable. The groundwater of this horizon in the Polish part of the cross-border area is more vulnerable - here the vulnerability corresponds to the categories "very high" and "high". In the Ukrainian part, the Upper Cretaceous aquifer is characterized by better natural hydrogeological conditions and is less vulnerable to pollution. The Lower Neogene aquifer, which has a limited distribution on the slopes of the Western Bug-Syan River watershed within Roztochia, is the least vulnerable to pollution as compared to the others. The lithological composition of the aeration zone and the thickness of weakly permeable and practically impermeable rocks have a decisive impact on the filtration time and vulnerability of groundwater to pollutants from the surface by infiltration. Scientific novelty of the research. For the first time, a quantitative assessment of the vulnerability of the MUAs for the Polish-Ukrainian cross-border area was carried out. The use of the results of this assessment will facilitate the adoption of appropriate management decisions for the comprehensive protection of transboundary groundwater, prevention of its pollution, and reduction of anthropogenic impact.

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Complex Geo-Ecological Assessment of the Protection of Drinking Groundwater

Cited by 3 publications

References 2 publications

Risk assessment approach applied for estimation of siversky donets groundwater quality

Risk assessment approach applied for estimation of siversky donets groundwater quality

Vulnerability assessment of drinking groundwater of buchak-kaniv aquifer under the conditions of quality composition long-term transformation

Assessment of groundwater vulnerability within the cross-border areas of Ukraine and Poland

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