Recognition of karst hydrology and water resources interaction in Kazerun Karstic Zones, South of Iran

Abstract

The determination of catchment area is the starting point in all hydrological analyses and essential as the basis for all hydrological calculations. The ambiguity of the catchment area of Sasan Springs as the largest karst springs of Kazerun karstic zone is the main motivation of this research. Using water budgeting, the catchment area for Sasan Spring was calculated including karstic aquifers. Water budget of Dashtak, Salbiz, and Shahneshin anticlines was investigated to identify water catchment of the Sasan Spring. Accordingly, six karstic zones are presented, namely Northern Dashtak, Southern Dashtak, Northern Shahneshin, Northern Asmari Shahneshin, Southern Shahneshin, and Salbiz, and are investigated the hydraulic relationship between these zones. The results of water budget calculations indicate that the negative water balance of −70 MCM (Million Cubic Meter) in the Northern Dashtak, the main catchment Sasan Spring, could be supplied from three other interconnected zones of Northern Shahneshin, Northern Asmari Shahneshin, and Salbiz via Qatar–Kazerun fault. Geological, hydrochemical, and geophysical evidences confirm relationships between these zones.