NATURAL TRACERS AS A TOOL FOR UNDERSTANDING THE FUNCTIONING   OF THE KARST SYSTEM AND ITS VULNERABILITY - A CASE STUDY   OF THE MANASTIREC SPRING

Biljana  Gičevski; Vojo  Mirčovski; Slavčo  Hristovski; Metka  Petrič

Biljana Gičevski Exploring society “Ursus speleos”, Dobromir Hrs 20a, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia
Vojo Mirčovski Faculty of Natural and Technical Sciences, Goce Delcev University, Goce Delčev, Stip, Blvd Goce Delcev 89, 2000 Sip, Republic of North Macedonia
Slavčo Hristovski Institute of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Arhimedova 3, 1000 Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia
Metka Petrič Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU, Titov trg 2, 6230 Postojna, Republic of Slovenia

Keywords: natural tracers; hydrochemistry; Manastirec karst spring

Abstract

The Manastirec spring is the only drinking water source that supplies 200 inhabitants of the municipality Goren Manastirec in West-Central Macedonia. Natural tracers were applied in order to characterize the properties of the groundwater flow and transport of contaminants through the karst system and to study the functioning of the spring. Water level, temperature and electrical conductivity of the spring were measured with data logger in hourly intervals during several rain events in 2015 and 2016. Rain events caused rise of water level and decrease of both water temperature and electrical conductivity. Concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sulphate and nitrate present in spring water were analyzed during the end of July 2016, during three rain events. The results showed that sulphate and Ca/Mg ratio increase, whereas nitrate decrease after rain events. All results demonstrate high vulnerability of the Manastirec spring to contamination.

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