ABSTRACT
Spring waters from alpine karst aquifers are important drinking water resources. As their water quality can change very rapidly during event situations, water abstraction management has to be performed in near real-time. Four summer event sets (2005-2008) at alpine karst springs were investigated in detail in order to evaluate the spectral absorption coefficient at 254 nm (SAC254) as a real-time early warning proxy for fecal pollution. For the investigation Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) Satellite-based data communication between portable hydro-meteorological measuring stations and an automated microbiological sampling device were used. This allowed a dissemination of the data via the internet and registered users could also download the data. It was demonstrated that it is possible to use SAC254 as a real-time proxy parameter for estimating the extent of fecal pollution after establishing specific spring and event-type calibrations that take into consideration the variability of the occurrence and the transferability of fecal material. To enhance the possibilities of such early warning systems, on-site analyses of the isotopic composition of the spring water were carried out isochronous with other hydrological parameters and with high time resolution. The new developed wavelength scanned Cavity Ring Down Spectroscope (CRDS) was adapted for on-site use. During snowmelt 2010, the system showed the whole dynamic of environmental isotopes, physicochemical and microbial parameters at the karst spring LKAS2.
