The role of evapotranspiration in the formation of the chemical composition of shallow groundwater (the Polish Tatras)

Abstract

An attempt to estimate the role of evapotranspiration in the formation of the chemical composition of shallow groundwater, based on data from the Rala G,!sienicowa (the Polish Tatras) is presented. The effective infiltration was estimated based on a two-year period of evapotranspiration and precipitation data. The calculated value compared to the effective rainfall allows estimation of the rainwater concentration. This, in turn, leads to an attempt at quantitative evaluation of the role of physical and chemical factors in the formation of the chemical composition of shallow groundwater. In the study area, composed of a carbonate-free weathering mantle of crystalline rocks, meteoric factors playa dominant role in shaping the chemical composition of shallow groundwater. Vadose and saturation zone waters inherit, to a large extent, the hydrochemical features of rainwaters.