Croatian Geological Survey

Croatian Geological Survey

Croatian Geological Survey

Croatian Geological Survey

Croatian Geological Survey

Croatian Geological Survey

Croatian Geological Survey

Croatian Geological Survey

Croatian Geological Survey

QUATERNARY RESEARCH

Speleological Research

Speleological researches are deeply embedded in the activities of the Croatian Geological Survey. Their start is linked to the "Order for Organization of the Geographical Section and the Cave Research Committee" in the Geology Commission for the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia, today's Survey, published on the July 31st, 1910. The founder and the first head of the board was Dragutin Gorjanovic-Kramberger. That was the first professional speleological association in Croatia. Although the board ended their work in 1914, it had a big credit in development and stimulation of speleological activity. Young geologist Josip Poljak, with his research of karst regions, was very attached to Committee work. In 1922 he defend first doctoral dissertation with speleological theme. In the first volume of News published by Geology Commission in 1911, Dragutin Gorjanović-Kramberger has introduced the word speleology in Croatian public. The word meaning is researching of karst underground (caves and pits). After the Committee cessation, and long period of frequent organizational changes, speleological researches were reintroduced to the Institute activities by Srećko Božićević.

Copy of section of page 10 from the first volume of News of Geological Commission

Speleological discoveries are very important in the field of hydrogeology, whether it is a collecting of fundamental data related to the genesis of recent hydrogeological relations, dynamics, condition and protection of ground water as a part of practical research such as mapping of underground flows or trial pumping.

Speleological teams of Croatian Geological Survey (Department of Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology and Department of Geology) were part of projecting and construction of almost all accumulations, dams and hydrotechnical tunnels in karst area. there are numerous examples where these researches had a crucial role in performing of construction projects or remediation of problems caused by encountering larger underground spaces. In the last few years, these activities are primarily related to the intensive construction of roads.

During the past period, our employees in cooperation with other organizations and speleological associations have participated in the research of about 1000 speleological objects. Discoveries are part of more than 250 professional studies and more than 300 professional and scientific papers about speleological issue has been published. Collected data significantly contribute to the development of Croatian Geological Survey basic activities and geological science as whole, especially in geological engineering.

Underground lake, Babina jama (Lovinac)

Speleological researches still have their place Survey's activities, and they make a significant segment of complex deliberation of geological, hydrogeological and engineering geology problems and also as a assistance in resolving of many exact procedures in karst. Systematic speleological researches as a part of hydrogeological studies of the karst area are making a foundation of speleological database developed within the Geographic Information System. The Geographic Information System supports the realization of the Basic hydrogeological and engineering map of the Republic of Croatia.

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