US EPA

Ground water flow in karst aquifers is very different from flow in granular or fractured aquifers. arst ground water flow is often turbulent within discrete conduits that are convergent in the upper reaches and divergent in the lower, simulating discharge to one or more springs. ignificant precipitation tends to flood karst aquifers quickly, causing a rapid rise in the water table that may flood higher levels with discharge to different springs. he epikarstic zone stress and directs infiltrating water down discrete percolation points. he vulnerability of karst aquifers to chemical contamination is a result of these characteristics. hemical contamination may be fed directly to a karst aquifer via overland flow to a doline with little or no attenuation that may contaminate downgradient wells, springs, and dolines within a few hours to a few days. ontaminants may also become temporarily stored in the epikarstic zone for eventual release to the aquifer. lood pulses may flush the contaminants to cause transiently higher levels of contamination in the aquifer and discharge points. he convergent nature of flow in karst aquifers may result in contamination becoming concentrated in conduits. hese contaminants can affect delicate plant and animal life that exists in caves as well as contaminate drinking water supplies too rapidly for adequate warning.

Field, M. VULNERABILITY OF KARST AQUIFERS TO CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/D-89/008 (NTIS PB89218820).

Presented at the American Institute of Hydrology Conference, November 16-18, 1988, Tampa Florida, published in Conference Proceedings