Deciphering the Water Supply of a Polje by Using Gravimetry

Abstract Among aquifers, karsts are known to present a heterogeneous structure leading to a specific hydrodynamic behavior mixing slow and fast circulations, which makes their study a real challenge. In addition to the specific nature of these structures, there is a need to improve the study methods that can be used to gain a better understanding of these systems. This study is the first to propose continuous gravimetric coupled with hydrodynamic measurements to understand the functioning of a polje whose intermittent flash floods can have disastrous socio-economic consequences. These flooding can be due either by surface water that can no longer infiltrate underground because its infiltration capacity has been exceeded or by overflow of the aquifer, both of which depend on the porosity of the karstic aquifer. The results allow deciphering the origin of water that cause the flooding and determining the storage of karstic aquifer that plays a decisive role.