EFFECT OF THE NATURAL AND ANTHROPOGENOUS FACTORS UPON THE THERMAL SPRINGS GETTING MUDDY IN NIŠKA BANJA

Abstract

The thermal water sources in Niška Banja, Glavno vrelo and Suva banja, consist of three water components each, namely, the thermal component, the cold permanent component and the cold occasional torrent-karst component. The thermal component genesis springs from atmospheric precipitation slowly infiltrated into the terrain through cracks and a porous ground. It is the regulator of the thermal springs' water temperature. An occasional karst-torrent water component is caused by a high degree of karstification of the Koritnik and many days of atmospheric precipitation or snow melting. This water components causes occasional cold refreshing just as it makes the thermal springs muddy.The paper explores short-term and long-term changes of the temperature regime of the thermal springs in Niška Banja as a function of the undertaken hydroconstruction repair works (1955-1956) as well as of the effect of forty years of self-restoration of the herbal covering in the Koritnik river basin.The research results show two important changes, namely, first, a considerable improvement of the phenomenon of an occasional drastic refreshing and of the thermal waters' getting muddy and, second, a permanent many-year increase of the water temperature.

Keywords

• thermal waters
• Niška Banja
• water temperature changes