Groundwater level oscillation analysis in shallow alluvial aquifers in Pomurje, NE Slovenia

Abstract

Systematic hydrologic monitoring of groundwater quantity at the national level in Slovenia has been ongoing since 1952. An insight into long-term groundwater level data enables us to delineate parts of aquifers with similar groundwater level oscillation properties as well as to identify changes of those properties in time. We used variety of statistical methods to identify long-term behaviour of groundwater level oscillation of groundwater body (GWB) Murska kotlina. Results showed that fluctuation of groundwater level in time reflect complex set of events that originate in natural or anthropogenic interferences. Using percentile analysis in combination with cluster analysis, we were able to isolate areas with a related groundwater fluctuation. Results of long-term data trends analyses of monthly groundwater level showed the impact of the research area climate on long-term and seasonal groundwater level fluctuation. In addition to natural causes, by performing trend analysis on groundwater level data, we were able identify some human induced interventions into the environment made in the past.