The Komárom – Štúrovo Pilot Area (Hungary – Slovakia)

1. The Komárom – Štúrovo Pilot Area (Hungary – Slovakia) Recommendations for sustainable management of transboundary hydrogeothermal resources at cross-border pilot areas Emese Gáspár1, György Tóth1 Jaromír Švasta2, Anton Remšik2, DusanBodiš2, Radovan Černák2 and the TRANSENERGY Team 1MFGI; 2ŠGUDŠ Final Event of project TRANSENERGY Vienna, 24. June2013.

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

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 Štúrovo Esztergom Patince Dunaalmás Tata Lukewarm springs (>20°C) Rechargeareas • Cold and thermal karst aquifer – T3, K1 limestones and dolomites • (Cold and thermal water porous aquifer – Pannonian and Pontiansandstones)

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 Štúrovo Esztergom Patince Komárno Dorog Dunaalmás Komárom Tata Tatabánya Utilizations Lukewarm springs (>20°C) Bakonyszentlászló Rechargeareas Tata Žlatná na Ostrove Patince

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

8. 1. Why was this Pilot Area selected? Effects of the mining Štúrovo Komárno Esztergom Patince Komárom Dunaalmás Dorog Tata Lukewarm (>20 °C) springs Tatabánya Present utilization sites Bakonyszentlászló Karst water level during the mining (1990) Naturalkarstwaterlevelbeforemining 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 Štúrovo Lower Pannonian Main Dolomite Upper Pannonian Dachstein Limestone Esztergom Outcrops Jákó + Polány Marl Patince Környei + Tata Limestone Lukewarm (>20°C) spring Dunaalmás Lábatlan Sandstone + Bersek Marl Tata Tertiary cover Top of the Pretertiary basement (m.A.s.l)

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

12. 3. Model building The numerical model • 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. 4. Answers by the help of the model Simulated natural state of the flow system Štúrovo temperature pattern is strongly affected by the groundwater-flow – convective heat flow dominated Patince Esztergom Dunaalmás Tata Štúrovo Patince Esztergom Dunaalmás Tata • 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)

15. 4. Answers by the help of the model Simulated flow pathlines in the karst water aquifer Štúrovo Komárno Esztergom Patince Komárom Dunaalmás Dorog Tata Tatabánya Bakonyszentlászló

16. 4. Answers by the help of the model Simulated steady state karst water abstractions • 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 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 sate drinking water abstraction • Karst water level elevated in the whole region • Springs near Dunaalmás, Tata also working again Štúrovo Komárno Esztergom Patince Komárom Dunaalmás Dorog Tata Tatabánya Bakonyszentlászló

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 (~5200 inhabitants) • Protected yield: 500 m3/d • Aquifer: T3karst aquifer Zitva Patince Almásfüzitő Dunaalmás K-4 K-3 K-9 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. Naszály

19. 5. Management Issues Štúrovo - Esztergom Esztergom, historicalTürkishbath • 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 Štúrovo, bath Esztergom, bath

20. 5. Management Issues Tata • Grondwater dependent ecosystems • Rising water level – „good” for ecosystems, „bad” for man-made environment • Yield: ~115 000 / 0 / ~30 000 m3/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 springs in the downtown; possible water drainage and utilization Maller et al., 2013. Tata, Fényes springs; 2012. winter Tata, Fényes springs; 2012. winter

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

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