Multidisciplinary Research of Thermal Springs Area in Topusko (Croatia)

Mirja Pavić, Ivan Kosović (), Marco Pola, Kosta Urumović, Maja Briški and Staša Borović
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Mirja Pavić: Croatian Geological Survey, Ulica Milana Sachsa 2, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Kosović: Croatian Geological Survey, Ulica Milana Sachsa 2, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Marco Pola: Croatian Geological Survey, Ulica Milana Sachsa 2, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Kosta Urumović: Croatian Geological Survey, Ulica Milana Sachsa 2, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Maja Briški: Croatian Geological Survey, Ulica Milana Sachsa 2, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Staša Borović: Croatian Geological Survey, Ulica Milana Sachsa 2, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-18

Abstract: Topusko is the second warmest natural thermal water spring area in Croatia, located at the southwest edge of the Pannonian Basin System. Due to favourable geothermal properties, these waters have been used for heating and health and recreational tourism since the 1980s. Thermal springs with temperatures up to 50 °C are the final part of an intermediate-scale hydrothermal system. However, systematic research on the Topusko spring area has not been conducted to lay the foundation for sustainable resource utilisation. Multidisciplinary research including the hydrogeochemical characterisation of naturally emerging thermal water, an electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) investigation conducted to reconstruct the subsurface geology, and hydrogeological parametrisation of the geothermal aquifer was carried out to refine the existing local conceptual model. The results show Ca-HCO 3 facies of Topusko thermal waters, which get heated in a Mesozoic carbonate aquifer. The water equilibrium temperature in the geothermal aquifer is estimated to be 78 °C based on the SiO 2 -quartz geothermometer. The fault damage zone, which enables the upwelling of thermal water, was identified by ERT investigations. The transmissivity values of the aquifer derived from the results of step-drawdown tests range from 1.8 × 10 −2 to 2.3 × 10 −2 m 2 /s. Further multidisciplinary research is necessary to improve the existing conceptual model of the Topusko hydrothermal system.

Keywords: thermal spring; hydrogeochemical characteristics; electrical resistivity tomography; hydrogeological parameters; hydrothermal system; Croatia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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