Control of cave levels in Kanaan, Kassarat and Jeita karst systems (Central Mount Lebanon, Lebanon)

Nehmé, Carole; Jaillet, Stéphane; Hellström, John; Gérard-Adjizian, Jocelyne; Delannoy, Jean‐Jacques

doi:10.1127/zfg/2016/0239

Cited by 11 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…The catchment area is under the influence of the Yammouneh fault regime (El Hakim, 2005, Hahne, 2011, leading to a high degree of tectonic deformation and fracturing. Sea level variations, especially the Messinian salinity crisis, and quaternary glaciations also contributed to creating a high level of karstification in the Mediterranean area in several stages (Bakalowicz, 2015;Nehme et al, 2016) and the Jurassic limestone with karst features, such as lapies, sinkholes, drains, and caves.…”

Section: Field Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Calibration of a semi-distributed lumped karst system model and analysis of its sensitivity to climate conditions: the example of the Qachqouch karst spring (Lebanon)

Dubois

Doummar

Pistre

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Abstract. Flow in complex karst aquifers is challenging to conceptualize, therefore to model for better management practices, especially in poorly investigated areas, in semi-arid climates, and under changing climatic conditions. The objective of this work is to propose a calibration approach based on time-series analyses for a karst aquifer and to assess the impact of changing climate conditions on the spring discharge. Based on more than three years of high-resolution continuous monitoring, a semi-distributed lumped model was calibrated and validated for the Qachqouch karst spring, north of Beirut (Lebanon). Time-series analyses and decomposition of spring hydrographs revealed that the system has a high regulatory function, with considerable storage capacity providing stable flow (minimum flow of 0.2 m3/s) during the dry season, and with flow rates exceeding 10 m3/s during the wet season, similar to other karst aquifers in the region. Based on this detailed understanding of the hydrodynamics of the system, the model geometry and parameters were validated. Three linear reservoirs were implemented to reproduce the combined contribution of the different flow components of the system. A satisfactory simulation (Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient = 0.72) of measured spring flow rates was obtained after calibration. Climate change conditions (+1 to +3 °C warming, −10 to −30 % less precipitation annually, and intensification of rain events) were added to a baseline climatic year to produce scenarios of expected spring flow responses. Results show that the Qachqouch karst aquifer is sensitive to decreasing rainfall, which is associated with more pronounced recessions, with flow rates decreasing by 34 % and 1-month longer dry periods. Because of the limited influence of snow on the spring flow rate, a warming climate has less impact on spring flow conditions than a reduction in precipitation. Although the model shows that increasing rainfall intensity induces larger floods, recessions and shorter low flow periods, the real impact of high-intensity precipitation events remains uncertain, since the model does not account for complex unsaturated and epikarst processes. This work shows that calibrating a semi-distributed lumped model using time series analysis can be an efficient approach to improve simulations of complex karst aquifers, thus providing useful models for long-term sustainable water management.

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Section: Field Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Calibration of a semi-distributed lumped karst system model and analysis of its sensitivity to climate conditions: the example of the Qachqouch karst spring (Lebanon)

Dubois

Doummar

Pistre

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…Indeed, the Kyrenia Range emersion is subsequent to the uplift of the coastal mountain ranges in Lebanon and Syria that emerged earlier during the Oligocene (Nader 2011) and later during the Plio-Pleistocene. The karstification phase of the Kyrenia Range is therefore recent, resulting in the development of vertical fractures with no marked cave levels, whereas the karstification phases of the coastal Levantine Range resulted in several marked multi-level karst systems (Nehme et al 2016).…”

Section: Morpho-tectonic Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Contribution of Condensation-Corrosion in the Morphological Evolution of Caves in Semi-Arid Regions: Preliminary Investigations in the Kyrenia Range, Cyprus

Cailhol

Audra

Nehmé

et al. 2019

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) Edwards: The contribution of condensation-corrosion in the morphological evolution of caves in semi-arid regions: preliminary investigations in the Kyrenia Range, CyprusThe condensation-corrosion process occurs when airflow cools at the contact with colder cave walls. Condensed water becomes aggressive for soluble rocks and corrodes the walls. This process is particularly active close to cave entrances in high thermal gradient zones where external air enters caves. Condensation ap- IzvlečekUDK 551.435.84(393.7) Edwards: Prispevek kondenzacijske korozije pri razvoju jam v polsuhih območjih: predhodni rezultati v jamah Kirenijskega gorovja, Ciper Kondenzacijska korozija se pojavi ob stiku vlažnega zračnega toka s hladnimi jamskimi stenami. Pri tem na jamsko steno iz zraka kondenzira film vode, ki kemično korodira vodotopno kamnino. Proces je najbolj izrazit v bližini jamskih vhodov, kjer ob visokem temperaturnem gradientu zunanji zrak vs-

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“…Many studies have related the genesis of relict cave levels and their subsequent abandonment to base‐level dynamics, driven by river incision in fluvial valleys or sea‐level oscillations in coastal areas (Plan et al ., 2009; Piccini and Landelli, 2011; Audra and Palmer, 2013; Calvet et al ., 2015; Columbu et al ., 2015; Nehme et al ., 2016; Pennos et al ., 2016; Harmand et al ., 2017; Bella et al ., 2019). The rate of river incision is influenced by several variables.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstructing fluvial incision rates based on palaeo‐water tables in chalk karst networks along the Seine valley (Normandy, France)

Nehmé

Farrant

Ballesteros

et al. 2020

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Quantifying rates of river incision and continental uplift over Quaternary timescales offer the potential for modelling landscape change due to tectonic and climatic forcing. In many areas, river terraces form datable archives that help constrain the timing and rate of valley incision. However, old river terraces, with high‐level deposits, are prone to weathering and often lack datable material. Where valleys are incised through karst areas, caves and sediments can be used to reconstruct the landscape evolution because they can record the elevation of palaeo‐water tables and contain preserved datable material. In Normandy (N. France), the Seine River is entrenched into an extensive karstic chalk plateau. Previous estimates of valley incision were hampered by the lack of preserved datable fluvial terraces. A stack of abandoned phreatic cave passages preserved in the sides of the Seine valley can be used to reconstruct the landscape evolution of the region. Combining geomorphological observations, palaeomagnetic and U/Th dating of speleothem and sediments in eight caves along the Lower Seine valley, we have constructed a new age model for cave development and valley incision. Six identified cave levels up to ∼100 m a.s.l. were formed during the last ~1 Ma, coeval with the incision of the Seine River. Passage morphologies indicate that the caves formed in a shallow phreatic/epiphreatic setting, modified by sediment influxes. The valley's maximum age is constrained by the occurrence of late Pliocene marine sand. Palaeomagnetic dating of cave infills indicates that the highest‐level caves were being infilled prior to 1.1 Ma. The evidence from the studied caves, complemented by fluvial terrace sequences, indicates that rapid river incision occurred during marine isotope stage (MIS) 28 to 20 (0.8–1 Ma), with maximal rates of ~0.30 m ka−1, dropping to ~0.08 m ka−1 between MIS 20–11 (0.8–0.4 Ma) and 0.05 m ka−1 from MIS 5 to the present time. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Control of cave levels in Kanaan, Kassarat and Jeita karst systems (Central Mount Lebanon, Lebanon)

Cited by 11 publications

References 0 publications

Calibration of a semi-distributed lumped karst system model and analysis of its sensitivity to climate conditions: the example of the Qachqouch karst spring (Lebanon)

Calibration of a semi-distributed lumped karst system model and analysis of its sensitivity to climate conditions: the example of the Qachqouch karst spring (Lebanon)

The Contribution of Condensation-Corrosion in the Morphological Evolution of Caves in Semi-Arid Regions: Preliminary Investigations in the Kyrenia Range, Cyprus

Reconstructing fluvial incision rates based on palaeo‐water tables in chalk karst networks along the Seine valley (Normandy, France)

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