Using GPR on a problematic agricultural field for groundwater protection in a karst environment

Summary Due to the extreme heterogeneity and increasing importance of karst aquifers as water supply sources and their often inadequate protection strategies, the knowledge of subsurface conditions in such areas is vital for the accurate groundwater vulnerability assessments. The presence of agricultural activity can increase the risk of groundwater pollution, therefore a GPR study was conducted on a problematic agricultural field within a karst aquifer. The use of two different antenna frequencies (250 and 500 MHz) proved useful for detecting different features at different depths. The results show a very thin top soil layer as well as multiple discontinuities and karst features in the shallow subsurface. The combination of both allows for rapid drainage, reduced crop growth as well as increased groundwater pollution risk.