Slovenia's main military training area at Poček is located in the mountainous Javorniki Watershed. This is a karstic district
without surface drainage or river valleys. The typical landscapes are conical hills and plateaus with many dolines. The lithology,
tectonic structure and speleological data indicate a typical karst aquifer with underground water moving rapidly through fissures
and conduits. Little attenuation occurs in such conditions and as a result there is a high risk of pollution. Tracer tests
have shown that a significant proportion of the water recharging the Malni and Vipava springs comes from the vicinity of the
military training area. As a result any polluting activities taking place within the military training area are likely to
affect the two springs. This is a very serious matter as the springs have been developed to provide the water supply for the
population of south-western Slovenia.
Key words Karst - Military training area - Karst hydrology - Tracing test - Kras - Slovenia
Received: 20 April 1998 · Accepted: 24 August 1998