Hydrogeological spring characterization in the Vajont area

The Vajont Valley is mainly known for the catastrophic event of 9 October 1963, when a vast landslide occurred on the southern slope of the Vajont dam reservoir, causing a giant wave of water that flooded the Piave Valley below. Since then, many studies of the geological and geomechanical aspect of the landslide have been carried out, while very few studies have focused on the hydrogeological characteristics of this area. This paper proposes a hydrogeological conceptual model for the carbonate aquifers of the Vajont area, based on the continuous monitoring of two springs and environmental isotope investigations. Cross-correlation functions between time series and the VESPA index were used to delineate groundwater flow systems and the degree of karstification. This model has been confirmed by analyses of the amounts of stable isotopes, such as 18O and 3H, in precipitation and groundwater.