1. The Komárom – Štúrovo Pilot Area (Hungary – Slovakia) Recommendations for sustainable management of transboundary hydrogeothermal resources at cross-border pilot areas Emese Gáspár 1, György Tóth 1 Jaromír Švasta 2, Anton Remšik 2, Dusan Bodiš 2, Radovan Černák 2 and the TRANSENERGY Team 1 MFGI; 2 ŠGUDŠ Final Event of project TRANSENERGY Vienna, 24. June 2013.

2. 1.Why was this Pilot Area selected? – area selection 2.Main, most important questions 3.Model building 4.Answers by the help of the model 5.Management Issues 6.Conclusion, recommendations – further proposals Content

3. 1. Why was this Pilot Area selected?  Transboundary regional cold-thermal karst system – in focus of ICPDR  Recharge in Hungary; natural discharging springs, groundwater dependent ecosystems in both country  Utilizations:  cold water – drinking water, mineral water  lukewarm (springs) – spa, balneology  warm system – spa, green house/district heating  Mine dewatering in the Hungarian part – effects in both country

4. 1. Why was this Pilot Area selected? In focus of ICPDR 2 thermal transboundary groundwater body from the 11 transboundary groundwater bodies

5. 1. Why was this Pilot Area selected? Recharge and natural discharge Recharge areas Lukewarm springs (>20°C) Cold and thermal karst aquifer – T 3, K 1 limestones and dolomites (Cold and thermal water porous aquifer – Pannonian and Pontian sandstones) Group of springs Water T (°C) Yield (original) (m 3 /d) Tata20-22~115 000 Dunaalmás + Patince 22-24 - 25-27 ~3 000-4 500 Esztergom (+Sárisáp) 11-15~12 000-13 000 Recharge~190 000 m 3 /d

6. 1. Why was this Pilot Area selected? The main utilizations in the last 75 years >130 main abstraction site in the last 75 years  average 18-year-long time series between 1951 and 2011  mine dewatering more than 50 year-long  today:  thermal water utilizations – spas, balneology, agriculture (green-houses)  drinking water utilization  mineral water production Recharge areas Utilizations Lukewarm springs (>20°C) Žlatná na OstrovePatince Tata

7. 1. Why was this Pilot Area selected? Effects of the mining Tata springs regeneration and flooding

8. Natural karst water level before mining Karst water level during the mining (1990) 1. Why was this Pilot Area selected? Effects of the mining Lukewarm (>20 °C) springs Present utilization sites After Csepregi, 2007

9. 2. Main, most important questions  Karst water abstractions  What was the effect of the mine water-abstraction on the karst flow system?  How and how long does it take the refilling of the karst system after the mine closure?  What is the present state of the system?  Groundwater dependent ecosystems  Which are the main groundwater dependent ecosystems in the area?  What are its qualitative and quantitative characteristics?  How could we protect of the regional flow system during the planning of the local productions?

10. 3. Model building Geology The main geological formations Main Dolomite Dachstein Limestone Jákó + Polány Marl Környei + Tata Limestone Lábatlan Sandstone + Bersek Marl Lower Pannonian Upper Pannonian Outcrops Lukewarm (>20°C) spring Top of the Pretertiary basement (m.A.s.l) Tertiary cover

11. After Alföldi et al. 1985. Recharge areas Local flow system Regional flow system Lukewarm springs (>20°C) 3. Model building Hydrogeology Tata springs, (from 2000) Csokonai spring, Dunaalmás (~2005) Lilla spring, Dunaalmás (2010) Lukewarm seepage, Patince (2012) Türkish-bath, reconstructed historical lukewarm spring, Esztergom

12. 3. Model building The numerical model Layer Hydrostratigraphic unit 1Quarternary 2-5Upper Pannonian 6-7Lower Pannonian 8 Miocene (sarmatian, badenian) 9Paleogene 10-12 Mesozoic carbonate basement  based on the geological and conceptual models  6 main hydrostratigraphic units  a 12 layered hydrodinamic and coupled heat transport 3D model (FEFLOW 6.1)

13. 3. Model building Aim of the modeling  Better understanding of the regional flow system  Investigate the natural flow system and the effect of the mine dewatering and the regeneration of the system  Evaluate the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the groundwater dependent ecosystems  Further proposals by the help of the model for the protection of the regional flow system

14.  low temperatures are resulted due to the intensive flow system in the karst aquifer  higher water temperatures exists in the NW part of the PA and the „end” of the flow paths (Tata, Patince, Esztergom, Štúrovo) 4. Answers by the help of the model Simulated natural state of the flow system temperature pattern is strongly affected by the groundwater-flow – convective heat flow dominated

15. 4. Answers by the help of the model Simulated flow pathlines in the karst water aquifer

16. 4. Answers by the help of the model Simulated steady state karst water abstractions Steady state mine water abstraction with the yield in the late 1980’s  Karst water level dropped down in the vicinity of the mining centres  Springs dissapeared in the region Steady state reduced water abstraction (as the yield in the early 2000’s)  Elevated karst water level in the vicinity of the mining centres  Springs near Dunaalmás appeared Steady sate drinking water abstraction  Karst water level elevated in the whole region  Springs near Dunaalmás, Tata also working again

17. 5. Management Issues Main aspects  The state of the protection of the groundwater resources – adequate the present protection?  The main geothermal utilizations and development possibilities  Minimum and maximum water level and discharge needs of the groundwater dependent ecosystems  Water abstraction scenarios in the area, impact assessment  Utilization efficiency (waste heat utilization, reinjection possibilities) in Komárom – Komárno (sub)region  Electric power generation possibilities in the area (as in feasibility studies)

18. 5. Management Issues Dunaalmás - Patince Dunaalmás vulnerable drinking water resources  Provide drinking water for 3 settlements (~5 200 inhabitants)  Protected yield: 500 m 3 /d  Aquifer: T 3 karst aquifer Lilla spring; 2012. winter Lilla spring; 2012. spring Wells Delineated „B” protection zone on the surface Delineated subsurface „B” protection zone VIZITERV Consult Kft. 2002. Dunaalmás K-4 K-3 K-9 Patince Almásfüzitő Zitva Naszály

19. Thermal water utilizations - spas  Baths in both country, in Esztergom historical baths  Where should we focus in development?  Protection zones for existing and ancient utilizations  Štúrovo (~40 °C) Esztergom (~28 °C)  higher temperatures and/or historical heritage 5. Management Issues Štúrovo - Esztergom Štúrovo, bath Esztergom, bath Esztergom, historical Türkish bath

20. Tata 5. Management Issues Grondwater dependent ecosystems  Rising water level – „good” for ecosystems, „ bad” for man-made environment  Yield: ~115 000 / 0 / ~30 000 m 3 /d before/during/after mining  „Surplus” spring water: drainage and/or utilization  Proposals by the help of regional modeling  e.g. design of additional abstraction points Tata, Fényes springs; 2012. winter Tata springs in the downtown; possible water drainage and utilization Maller et al., 2013.

21. 6. Conclusion, recommendations - further proposals  Revision of the existing protection zones (Dunalmás-Patince)  Delineation of the protection zones of the existing utilizations (Esztergom, Štúrovo)  Harmonized further developments in agreement of the countries: priority of utilization (wellness, balneology, heating, waste heat utilization, cascadian type of utilizations, etc.)  Preserve the good state of the existing grondwater dependent ecosystems and help the rehabilitation processes (eg. delineate protection zones)  Transient modeling for the examination of the changing system