INTERPRETATION OF ISOTOPIC DATA FOR GROUNDWATERS IN THE OLĂNEŞTI AREA. COMPARISONS WITH OTHER CARPATHIAN ZONES

Abstract

The research activities consisted in the inventory of stable hydrogen isotopic and geochemical data for mineral and geothermal waters belonging to the Olănești resort in order to define their origin, genetic relationships and underground dynamics in the geological context of the Getic Depression. Comparative study with other Carpathian zones (i. e. East Carpathians, Apuseni Mountains, Pannonian Basin, Transylvanian Basin, Getic Depression, and External Flysch) has also been performed. Previous hydrogeological, hydrochemical and isotopic studies identified three components for the groundwaters in the Olănești area: deep formation waters, local infiltration waters (especially from the Olăneşti Valley), and waters from high altitudes. Formation waters from Olănești and from other resorts in the Getic Depression (Călimenești – Căciulata and Govora) display mean δD and TDS values similar to those of formation waters in the Balvanyos - Covasna area (East Carpathians), and also to the salt waters in the Transylvanian Basin. The major contribution of formation water to the genesis of mineral waters in the Getic Depression makes them extremely vulnerable to degradation over time because formation water is a „fossil” not renewable component.