Hydrogeology of the Pannonian Basin

This book is part of a series of introductory references on “Important  Aquifer Systems of the World” prepared by The Groundwater Project. The Pannonian Basin in Central Europe hosts one of the most complex aquifer systems in the world. Parts of these aquifers are shared amongst eight countries that occupy various portions of the basin. Groundwater produced from clastic and karstic aquifers in the Pannonian Basin is a precious resource for drinking water, agricultural use as well as geothermal energy, coveted by tens of millions of people inhabiting this area of Central Europe.

This book attempts to summarize in a historic context the evolution of knowledge and understanding of various aspects of moving groundwater as a geologic agent able to mobilize, transport and deposit heat and matter in the Pannonian Basin. It presents various aspects of groundwater utilization and water management practices. Also, it briefly introduces the hydrogeological environment, that is geology, topography and climate, which play a determinant role in the formation and maintenance of the complex hydro-geothermal features observed and exploited over nearly two millennia to date. Besides the abundance of potable groundwater supplies, the Pannonian Basin is most famous for the abundance of geothermal wells, spas, and modern utilization of geothermal energy.

The central part of the Pannonian Basin has two vertically stacked groundwater flow regimes: a gravity driven upper flow regime, and a deep over-pressured flow regime. The latter regime was discovered through petroleum exploration efforts carried out over the last century. A brief introduction into the petroleum hydrogeology of the Pannonian Basin is also included in the book.