ABSTRACT
Karstic aquifers are those that contain dissolution-generated conduits that transport groundwater, oen localized, fastmoving and in a turbulent regime. e ability of the conduit system to transport a sediment load, sometimes with associated contaminants, is an additional feature. Such aquifers are found mainly in limestone, dolomite and gypsum as the commonly occurring soluble rocks. In most aquifers there is a mismatch of many orders of magnitude between groundwater ow rates in the aquifer and stream ow rates on the land surface above. In karstic aquifers there is a continuum of ow rates such that the
groundwater system in karstic aquifers takes on the characteristics of both surface water and groundwater. Further, because of the presence of sinking streams and large springs, there is a complex interplay between surface water and groundwater.
