Vertical zoning of groundwater runoff system in karst plateau

The vertical zoning of groundwater runoff system in karst plateau have been discovered by large number of the exposed and observational studies of mineral resource exploitation, geological exploration, cave detection, tracer tests and so on. Based on burying condition of karst aquifer, spatial pattern of groundwater runoff, groundwater dynamics and the extent and depth of groundwater circulation, the groundwater runoff system can be divided into two types and six subclasses in karst plateau. The details are as follow (Table 1). The zoning of groundwater runoff system in karst plateau is mainly determined by the sedimentary facies and sedimentary cycle of the strata, geologic structural association, topographic relief, zoning of karst development.The characteristics of shallow-circulating runoff zone are with shallower circulation underground, circulating period within one hydrogeological year and being obviously impacted by seasonal change. The deep-circulating runoff zones are with deeper circulation under ground, circulating period long as several to several decade years or more and being less or few impacted by seasonal change. The characteristics of six sub-classes are direct-viewing and distinct,which would be described in detail in the paper.