The Importance of Faults and Fractures in Groundwater Flow
Prof. John Walsh from the School of Earth Sciences speaks about the critical role of faults and fractures in the flow of groundwater within Ireland’s subsurface. Ranging from faults arising from Alpine-Pyrenean compression (20-50My ago) through to older calcite-filled fractures (ca 300My) controlling the localisation of more recent cave systems within the Burren, geological fracturing and associated karst-related dissolution are the principal control on groundwater flow representing nearly 30% of Ireland’s water usage.
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