Hydrogeology of the Olševa massif (Slovenia)

Olševa consists of highly pervious carbonates, forming a relatively big fractured and karstified aquifer. Due to its high-altitude mountainous nature, the aquifer is unpolluted and therefore has to be regarded as a potential source of drinking water for the future.The Olševa aquifer is tectonically divided into three parts. Groundwater from the two smaller aquifers, covering areas of 1,9 and 0,8 km2, located in eastern part of Ol{eva massif, flows toward Northeast into Meža river basin. In spite of several transversal faults, the rest of Olševa massif forms a relatively uniform aquifer that is conveying groundwater in westerly direction towards Rjavica valley. Rjavica valley in Austria represents the discharge area of a majority of groundwater from the main Ol{eva aquifer