Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences

The study presents the results of hydrogeological parameter measurements in the near-surface soil layer at locations within the Steinvik catchment. Due to the geographical setting, groundwater appears during the polar summer, when the so-called active layer thaws, thereby activating subsurface flow. At 26 selected sites, vertical hydraulic conductivity (k_z) was measured using the Porchet method. Additionally, at several locations, sieve-based grain-size analysis was performed at various depths at the piezometer installation sites. This research made it possible to assess the hydraulic conductivity (k) of weathered rocks. The obtained values, ranging from 0.005 to 131 m/d, reflect a wide spectrum of permeability — from very low in clay-rich materials to very high in coarse gravel or rock debris. In the coastal plain zone, tracer measurements of water flow velocity in the active layer, conducted along two sections, revealed an exceptionally high hydraulic conductivity of 753 m/d. These results enabled the characterization of potential water flow within the active layer of the Steinvik catchment.

Michał RYSIUKIEWICZ, Mateusz MACHNIK (2026). HYDROGEOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND WATER-BEARING CAPACITY OF THE PERMAFROST ACTIVE LAYER IN THE STEINVIK CATCHMENT AREA (SW SPITSBERGEN), Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences February 2026, Vol. 21, No. 1, p. 61 – 69; https://doi.org/10.26471/cjees/2026/021/352