The Komárom – Štúrovo Pilot Area

(Hungary – Slovakia)Recommendations for sustainable management of

transboundary hydrogeothermal resources at cross-border pilot areasEmese Gáspár1, György Tóth1

Jaromír Švasta2, Anton Remšik2, Dusan Bodiš2, Radovan Černák2

and the TRANSENERGY Team1MFGI; 2ŠGUDŠ

Final Event of project TRANSENERGYVienna, 24. June 2013.

1. Why was this Pilot Area selected? – area selection2. Main, most important questions3. Model building4. Answers by the help of the model5. Management Issues6. Conclusion, recommendations – further proposals

Content

1. Why was this Pilot Area selected?

Transboundary regional cold-thermal karst system – in focus of ICPDR

Recharge in Hungary; natural discharging springs, groundwater dependent ecosystems in both country

Utilizations: cold water – drinking water, mineral water lukewarm (springs) – spa, balneology warm system – spa, green house/district heating Mine dewatering in the Hungarian part – effects in both

country

1. Why was this Pilot Area selected?In focus of ICPDR

2 thermal transboundary groundwater body from the 11 transboundary groundwater

bodies

1. Why was this Pilot Area selected?Recharge and natural discharge

Recharge areas

Lukewarm springs (>20°C)

Cold and thermal karst aquifer – T3, K1 limestones and dolomites(Cold and thermal water porous aquifer – Pannonian and Pontian sandstones)

Group of springs

Water T(°C)

Yield (original) (m3/d)

Tata 20-22 ~115 000

Dunaalmás + Patince

22-24 -25-27

~3 000-4 500

Esztergom (+Sárisáp)

11-15 ~12 000-13 000

Recharge ~190 000 m3/d

1. Why was this Pilot Area selected?The main utilizations in the last 75 years

>130 main abstraction site in the last 75 years average 18-year-long time series between 1951 and 2011 mine dewatering more than 50 year-long today:

thermal water utilizations – spas, balneology, agriculture (green-houses)

drinking water utilization mineral water production

Recharge areas

Utilizations

Lukewarm springs (>20°C)

Žlatná na Ostrove Patince Tata

1. Why was this Pilot Area selected?Effects of the mining

Tata springsregenerationand flooding

Natural karst water level before mining

Karst water level during the mining (1990)

1. Why was this Pilot Area selected?Effects of the mining

Lukewarm(>20 °C) springs

Present utilizationsites

After Csepregi, 2007

2. Main, most important questions

Karst water abstractions What was the effect of the mine water-abstraction on the karst

flow system? How and how long does it take the refilling of the karst system

after the mine closure? What is the present state of the system?

Groundwater dependent ecosystems Which are the main groundwater dependent ecosystems in the

area? What are its qualitative and quantitative characteristics?

How could we protect of the regional flow system during the planning of the local productions?

3. Model buildingGeology

The main geological formationsMain Dolomite

Dachstein Limestone

Jákó + Polány Marl

Környei + Tata Limestone

Lábatlan Sandstone + Bersek Marl

Lower Pannonian

Upper Pannonian

Outcrops

Lukewarm (>20°C) spring

Top of the Pretertiary basement (m.A.s.l) Tertiary cover

After Alföldi et al. 1985.

Recharge areas

Local flow system

Regional flow system

Lukewarm springs (>20°C)

3. Model buildingHydrogeology

Tata springs, (from 2000) Csokonai spring, Dunaalmás (~2005)Lilla spring, Dunaalmás (2010)Lukewarm seepage, Patince (2012)Türkish-bath, reconstructed historical lukewarm spring, Esztergom

3. Model buildingThe numerical model

Layer Hydrostratigraphic unit

1 Quarternary

2-5 Upper Pannonian

6-7 Lower Pannonian

8 Miocene (sarmatian, badenian)

9 Paleogene

10-12 Mesozoic carbonate basement

based on the geological and conceptual models 6 main hydrostratigraphic units a 12 layered hydrodinamic and coupled heat transport 3D model (FEFLOW 6.1)

3. Model buildingAim of the modeling

Better understanding of the regional flow system Investigate the natural flow system and the effect of the mine

dewatering and the regeneration of the system Evaluate the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the

groundwater dependent ecosystems Further proposals by the help of the model for the protection of

the regional flow system

low temperatures are resulted due to the intensive flow system in the karst aquifer

higher water temperatures exists in the NW part of the PA and the „end” of the flow paths (Tata, Patince, Esztergom, Štúrovo)

4. Answers by the help of the modelSimulated natural state of the flow system

temperature pattern is strongly affected by the groundwater-flow – convective

heat flow dominated

4. Answers by the help of the modelSimulated flow pathlines in the karst water aquifer

4. Answers by the help of the modelSimulated steady state karst water abstractions

Steady state mine water abstraction with the yield in the late 1980’sKarst water level dropped down in the vicinity of the mining centresSprings dissapeared in the region

Steady state reduced water abstraction (as the yield in the early 2000’s)Elevated karst water level in the vicinity of the mining centresSprings near Dunaalmás appeared

Steady sate drinking water abstractionKarst water level elevated in the whole regionSprings near Dunaalmás, Tata also working again

5. Management IssuesMain aspects

The state of the protection of the groundwater resources – adequate the present protection?

The main geothermal utilizations and development possibilities Minimum and maximum water level and discharge needs of the

groundwater dependent ecosystems Water abstraction scenarios in the area, impact assessment Utilization efficiency (waste heat utilization, reinjection possibilities)

in Komárom – Komárno (sub)region Electric power generation possibilities in the area (as in feasibility

studies)

5. Management IssuesDunaalmás - Patince

Dunaalmás vulnerable drinking water resourcesProvide drinking water for 3 settlements (~5 200 inhabitants) Protected yield: 500 m3/d Aquifer: T3 karst aquifer

Lilla spring; 2012. winter

Lilla spring; 2012. spring

Wells

Delineated „B” protection zone on the surface

Delineated subsurface „B” protection zone

VIZITERV Consult Kft. 2002.

Dunaalmás

K-4

K-3

K-9

Patince

Almásfüzitő

Zitva

Naszály

Thermal water utilizations - spasBaths in both country, in Esztergom historical baths Where should we focus in development?

Protection zones for existing and ancient utilizations Štúrovo (~40 °C) Esztergom (~28 °C) higher temperatures and/or historical heritage

5. Management IssuesŠtúrovo - Esztergom

Štúrovo, bath Esztergom, bath

Esztergom, historical Türkish bath

Tata5. Management Issues

Grondwater dependent ecosystemsRising water level – „good” for ecosystems, „bad” for man-made environment Yield: ~115 000 / 0 / ~30 000 m3/d before/during/after mining„Surplus” spring water: drainage and/or utilization Proposals by the help of regional modeling

e.g. design of additional abstraction points

Tata, Fényes springs; 2012. winter Tata, Fényes springs; 2012. winter

Tata springs in the downtown; possible water drainage and utilization

Maller et al., 2013.

6. Conclusion, recommendations- further proposals

Revision of the existing protection zones (Dunalmás-Patince) Delineation of the protection zones of the existing utilizations (Esztergom,

Štúrovo) Harmonized further developments in agreement of the countries: priority

of utilization (wellness, balneology, heating, waste heat utilization, cascadian type of utilizations, etc.)

Preserve the good state of the existing grondwater dependent ecosystems and help the rehabilitation processes (eg. delineate protection zones)

Transient modeling for the examination of the changing system