Field Visit in the Irish Shanragh/Bagenalstown groundwater basin

The primary focus of the ClimEx-PE project is the application of nature-based managed aquifer recharge (MAR) solutions, which utilize natural processes to connect groundwater flow systems with water retention and replenishment solutions. The concept developed by ELTE in the Danube-Tisza Interfluve area provides a common background for the project, which will be applied to the Spanish and Irish model areas.

Following research in the La Muga Basin (Spain), Judit Mádl-Szőnyi, the scientific coordinator of the ClimEx-PE project, and Ildikó Erhardt, project manager, visited the Shanragh/Bagenalstown, groundwater basin in Ireland. The field visit, scheduled for June 24, 2024, was organized by Patrick Morrisey from Trinity College Dublin. P. Morrisey provided detailed information about the area’s geological, hydrogeological, meteorological, and geographical features. The field visit was also assisted by a local well operator, who provided the researchers with valuable information and showed interest in the results of the project.

Participants observed wells and springs in the area and studied the topography, which plays an important role in groundwater flow systems. The flow conditions of the wells supplying water in the area were found to be unfavorable, as water flows away from the recharge area towards areas with lower topography. At the same time, the springs in the valleys and their surroundings offer the potential for water exploration despite climate change. At the end of the field day, Judit Mádl-Szőnyi and Patrick Morrissey discussed in detail the concept and its applicability in the Irish context.