A case study for identification of organic-silt bottom sediments in an artificial lake formed in gravel alluvium in the geotourism locality of Slnecne Jazera in Senec (Bratislava, Slovakia)

Abstract

This case study aims to identify the cubic capacity and geometry of the geological body of silt-organic sediments in the environment of a former gravel pit situated in a drainless depression of the alluvium of the Cierna voda River. It is located in the well-known geotourism locality of Slneene Jazera in Senec, in the SW of Slovakia. To identify the body, electrical resistivity tomography was combined with the use of sonar. The research shows that this approach is appropriate for a number of activities that are subjects of engineering-geological investigations. The cubic capacity and geometry of specific aqueous engineering-geological environments must be determined in connection with the need for the management, control, quantification and extraction of selected sedimentary bodies. In addition, the management of sustainable development of reservoirs, sedimentation basins, industrial ponds, settling pits and natural pools for recreation (the subject of the case study) is important to control the limit amounts of sediments in such environments. The results of this study may be applied in analogous engineering-geological conditions. The drainless depression Slneene Jazera contained a body of silt-organic sediments amounting to 23 000 m(3) (41 Olympic-size pools of 25 m x 12.5 m x 1.8 m). The maximum thickness of the bottom sediments was about 6.3 m on the alluvium with an articulated morphology owing to the submerged digging of gravel. The proposed approach improved the control of extraction of the sedimentary body and optimized the engineering-geological conditions in this geotourism locality.