ABSTRACT
As the nature and behavior of karst aquifers differ significantly from those of porous media and fracture flow aquifers, so do the hydrologic methods that must be employed to study them. Because of the extreme permeability, heterogeneity, and variations in hydraulic conductivity that commonly typify well-developed karst flow systems, many techniques commonly used to investigate porous media aquifers are of little use. Simultaneously, however, there are indeed peculiarities of karst aquifers that can be exploited. In many cases, for example, it is possible to actually travel into active stream conduits within karst aquifers to map out the geometry of these systems, and even to determine locations for monitoring wells (Fig. 4.1).
