An example of a complete study of karst hydrogeology (Al Sinn Basin, Syria). I. Methodological Principles

The Al Sinn spring is located in the central part of the coastal area of Syria. It drains off a large karst massif rising from 10 m to over 1500 m above sea level. Part of the karst runoff water is carried into tile Mediterranean. Within the coastal plain the karst Cenomanian-Turonian limestones are covered by a thick (200-300 m) impermeable marl complex. There are no surface indications of likely places of submarine discharge. Under the circumstances, the use of geothermal and hydrogeochcmical data has proved highly efficient in studying groundwater flows.
   An analysis of the differential equations of heat transfer and filtration diffusion has shown that groundwater flow velocity has a major effect on the temperature and hydrogeochemical regime in the karst basin. It has been found that criteria providing the key to interpreting the geothermal and hydrogcochcmical data for the purposes of hydrodynamics can be derived. The methodological approach used in this study is essentially a combined treatment of hydrodynamical, geothermal and hydrogeochemical processes.