Abstract
Karst systems are the most important groundwater reservoirs in Mediterranean area. Beyond saturated zone, unsaturated zone constitute an entity where water storage and transfer play a major role in a global behavior of spring water. This structure and functioning are complex and not well known because of the high heterogeneity created and organized by groundwater flow. In this study, we used gravimetric and hydrogeologic method to directly observe and quantify water storage and transfer processes in unsaturated zone of karst system. Surface to depth gravity measurements on several karst system allow quantifying seasonal water storage changes in unsaturated zone. We show that these variations occur in the first tens meters of unsaturated zone. Furthermore, water storage capacity of unsaturated zone seems to be influenced by lithology (limestone or dolomite). Finally, direct observations of water flow in unsaturated zone are done using caves access. We show that some characteristics of unsaturated water flow such as bipolar slow-fast flow can be widespread for whatever depth of measurement and recharge area. Model of this flow, using a simple modeling scheme, show the complexity of water transfer processes in unsaturated zone of karst system.