Meanwhile, the vadose zone summer school was held in Milan, two colleagues of ENeRAG’s ELTE team attended the Karst School in Postojna, Slovenia, 17-21 June 2019. Since 1993, the International Karstological School “Classical Karst” (IKS) has been organised annually, covering many aspects related to karst research. The basic idea of the event is to present the state-of-the-art of the annually selected topic and to promote discussion between participants via a set of invited and topic-related lectures, a poster session and field trips to the Slovenian Classical Karst area. This year, the 27th International Karstological School was devoted to karst hydrogeology, which is distinctive for carbonate aquifers. These hold considerable amounts of groundwater resources, offer the important potential for freshwater supply and support unique ecosystem biodiversity. The event aimed to develop the exchange of knowledge and experience on approaches of karst aquifers characterisation, utilisation and protection.
Katalin Csondor (PhD student) and Ádám Tóth (junior assistant professor) presented their basin-scale approach and recent findings in karst hydrogeology. The lectures had high interest since new ideas, methods, as well as investigation scale, were outlined to the classical karst hydro(geo)logy society. The attendees could visit the famous Kras/Carso Plateau, the archetype of karst, huge naturally discharging springs, however, the massive karst caves of the region were the most impressive ones, indeed.
“Indoor” lecture in the Cultural Center of Postojna
Underground discussion in the Planina cave
The bridge above river Reka in the Skocjan cave
Grotta Gigante (Giant cave, Italy) and its 1000 steps and stalagmites