Spatial organization of the impulse response in a karst aquifer

- Spatial study of the response of a karst aquifer to rainfall events.
- Site characteristic: a small topographic hill.
- The response time varies spatially.
- A spatial organization of the groundwater transfers is highlighted.

SummaryKarst aquifers are characterized by a strong heterogeneity in their physical properties. The purpose of the study is the spatial variability of water transfers in a carbonated karstic aquifer. To this end, a high spatial density of information about the water transfer is needed. The characteristics of the site, a topographic hill of 13 km2 with eight boreholes, which was monitored hourly over four years, allows the study of the spatial variability of water transfers. The variability of the impulse response of the system is studied using autocorrelation and cross-correlation analysis between the rainfall and piezometric level time series. The shapes of the autocorrelation and cross-correlation functions vary according to the geographical location of the boreholes, that proves a spatial organization of the groundwater transfer. The response time varies depending on the thickness of the unsaturated zone by an unusual inverse correlation. In this case, the water level signal spatially integrates the signal transfer of the unsaturated zone and the signal transfer of the saturated part of the aquifer. Consequently, inertia and response time increased with the distance between the borehole and the top of piezometric dome. This description supports highly organized fast transfers in this karst aquifer and a highly connected fracture network.