11 Monitoring of Groundwater Quality in Poland
251
Zone includes within its boundaries the Silesian voivodeship, on the territory of
which numerous mining areas are situated. The Quaternary aquifer, in its areas of
anthropogenic activity (in the vicinity of mining areas), belongs to multi-ionic water
of the SO 4 –NO 3 –Ca type (observation well number II/292/1) and HCO 3 –SO 4 –Ca–
Mg type. Beyond the mining areas, ordinary water of the HCO 3 –Ca and HCO 3 –
Ca–Mg types prevail. The groundwater of the early-Jurassic aquifer level represents
good quality water, which in the greater part of its area belongs to the quality class
II.
In the central part of the upland area, particularly in the region of the
´
Swi˛ etokrzyskie Mountains, groundwater of the HCO 3 –Ca and HCO 3 –Ca–Mg types
prevails at all water-bearing levels. This is mainly water of good quality in the whole
area with local exceedances of Fe and Mn. Only locally, in the Quaternary and Paleogene and Neogene aquifers as well as shallow deposits of the Cretaceous aquifer,
can one encounter multi-ionic water with excessive concentrations of the sulphate
ion. It is a consequence of anthropogenic activity or, as it is in the case of the Nida
Valley, the presence of gypsum deposits.
11.4.5 Mountains Zone—The Carpathians
The Uplands Zone borders with the mountain area include the Tatra Massif and the
Carpathian Foredeep. The groundwater of the Tatra Massif belongs to ultra-fresh and
fresh waters of the HCO 3 –Ca and HCO 3 –Ca–Mg types. This is water of high quality
in which none of the ions usually exceeds the allowed concentrations for freshwater
[24]. In the area of the Podhale Artesian aquifer groundwater of the HCO 3 –Ca–Mg
and HCO 3 –SO 4 –Ca–Mg types occurs. In the central and northern part of the aquifer,
the mineralisation of groundwater increases, reaching the value of approximately
3000 mg/dm
3 whereas its temperature allows it to be assigned to the category of
thermal waters. In the area of Outer Carpathians (flysch mountains) mineral waters
commonly occur while ordinary freshwater occurs only in the Quaternary formations
and surface parts of the flysch. This area is susceptible to ascending inflow of salt
water from the deeper parts of the massif. There occur predominantly two-ionic
waters of the HCO 3 –Ca type as well as numerous multi-ionic waters of the HCO 3 –
Ca–Mg, HCO 3 –Ca–Na, HCO 3 –SO 4 -Cl–Ca-Mg types.
11.4.6 Mountains Zone—The Sudetes
In the area of the Sudetes fresh water is extracted from the Quaternary, Palaeogene
and Neogene, as well as from Cretaceous formations. In the case of the Quaternary
aquifer, multi-ionic waters, mainly three-ionic, four-ionic and five-ionic waters of the
HCO 3 –SO 4 –Ca type prevail (II/745/3). This is water of high quality which requires
only ordinary treatment. The exceedances of the limit values concern mainly Fe and
251
Zone includes within its boundaries the Silesian voivodeship, on the territory of
which numerous mining areas are situated. The Quaternary aquifer, in its areas of
anthropogenic activity (in the vicinity of mining areas), belongs to multi-ionic water
of the SO 4 –NO 3 –Ca type (observation well number II/292/1) and HCO 3 –SO 4 –Ca–
Mg type. Beyond the mining areas, ordinary water of the HCO 3 –Ca and HCO 3 –
Ca–Mg types prevail. The groundwater of the early-Jurassic aquifer level represents
good quality water, which in the greater part of its area belongs to the quality class
II.
In the central part of the upland area, particularly in the region of the
´
Swi˛ etokrzyskie Mountains, groundwater of the HCO 3 –Ca and HCO 3 –Ca–Mg types
prevails at all water-bearing levels. This is mainly water of good quality in the whole
area with local exceedances of Fe and Mn. Only locally, in the Quaternary and Paleogene and Neogene aquifers as well as shallow deposits of the Cretaceous aquifer,
can one encounter multi-ionic water with excessive concentrations of the sulphate
ion. It is a consequence of anthropogenic activity or, as it is in the case of the Nida
Valley, the presence of gypsum deposits.
11.4.5 Mountains Zone—The Carpathians
The Uplands Zone borders with the mountain area include the Tatra Massif and the
Carpathian Foredeep. The groundwater of the Tatra Massif belongs to ultra-fresh and
fresh waters of the HCO 3 –Ca and HCO 3 –Ca–Mg types. This is water of high quality
in which none of the ions usually exceeds the allowed concentrations for freshwater
[24]. In the area of the Podhale Artesian aquifer groundwater of the HCO 3 –Ca–Mg
and HCO 3 –SO 4 –Ca–Mg types occurs. In the central and northern part of the aquifer,
the mineralisation of groundwater increases, reaching the value of approximately
3000 mg/dm
3 whereas its temperature allows it to be assigned to the category of
thermal waters. In the area of Outer Carpathians (flysch mountains) mineral waters
commonly occur while ordinary freshwater occurs only in the Quaternary formations
and surface parts of the flysch. This area is susceptible to ascending inflow of salt
water from the deeper parts of the massif. There occur predominantly two-ionic
waters of the HCO 3 –Ca type as well as numerous multi-ionic waters of the HCO 3 –
Ca–Mg, HCO 3 –Ca–Na, HCO 3 –SO 4 -Cl–Ca-Mg types.
11.4.6 Mountains Zone—The Sudetes
In the area of the Sudetes fresh water is extracted from the Quaternary, Palaeogene
and Neogene, as well as from Cretaceous formations. In the case of the Quaternary
aquifer, multi-ionic waters, mainly three-ionic, four-ionic and five-ionic waters of the
HCO 3 –SO 4 –Ca type prevail (II/745/3). This is water of high quality which requires
only ordinary treatment. The exceedances of the limit values concern mainly Fe and