Hydrogeological Windows Impact on Groundwater Contamination in Moscow

Abstract

This paper presents the results of assessing the hydrogeological windows’ impact on the Podol’sko--Myachkovskii aquifer contamination in Moscow as the most important reserve source of drinking water supply. Groundwater contamination in these territories can occur due to rapid mixing of contaminated groundwater of the overlying above-Jurassic aquifer and pure groundwater of the Podolsko-Myachkovskii aquifer. The study consisted in the analysis of the water chemistry data of these aquifers; the choice of the elements—indicators of groundwater contamination; the analysis of the indicators’ distribution schemes and comparison with the boundaries of hydrogeological windows. The research results testified to the significantly elevated concentrations of contamination indicators in the Podolsko-Myachkovskii aquifer at the sites of hydrogeological windows allocated within the specific geostructural and hydrogeological conditions.