ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Analysis of Natural Vulnerability of Groundwater
Intakes to Migration of Surface Pollutants Based
on a Selected Part of the Dunajec River Basin
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1
Sądeckie Wodociągi Sp. z o.o., Nowy Sącz / AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geology,
Geophysics and Environmental Protection, Department of Environmental Protection, Krakow, Poland
2
AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection,
Department of Environmental Protection, Krakow, Poland
3
Geobios Sp. z o.o., Częstochowa, Poland
Submission date: 2019-05-27
Final revision date: 2019-07-31
Acceptance date: 2019-07-31
Online publication date: 2020-02-26
Publication date: 2020-04-21
Corresponding author
Ewa Wysowska
„Sądeckie Wodociągi” Sp. z o.o. Nowy Sącz, Wincentego Pola, 33-300, Nowy Sącz, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2020;29(4):2925-2934
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ABSTRACT
The article presents the evaluation of the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution with the use of
the DRASTIC method and by determining the vertical filtering time through the aeration zone on the
example of the groundwater intake in the Dunajec River valley. The study area was further divided
into 3 catchment areas, equivalent to the 3 terraces of the river valley (characterized by different
hydrodynamic properties). With the help of the DRASTIC method one made valuable analysis of
individual environmental characteristics in terms of their protective functions for the analyzed waterbearing
system and estimated vertical migration time, which served for the assessment of the level of
exposing waters to potential conservative pollutants. The performed analyses demonstrated medium
vulnerability in the case of cut-in-fill terrace and high vulnerability in the case of non-flood terrace
and flood plain terrace. The results were used to develop a map representing spatial distribution of
groundwater pollution vulnerability. There exists a correlation between the applied methods of
vulnerability evaluation in a porous hydrogeological medium – the calculation of vertical infiltration
time and the DRASTIC index. Conducted analyses give the possibility of implementation of obtained
results for planning works and their use in putting into action appropriate methods of risk manipulation.