Sustainable abstraction of karst water spring for two Roman cities in Croatia

Abstract

This paper presents a reconstruction of two ancient water intake facilities at the Jadro spring in Croatia. The Jadro spring was the water source for Salona, the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia, and Emperor Diocletian’s Palace. The water supply system of Salona functioned from the first century BC to the seventh century AD, while Diocletian’s operated from the fourth to seventh centuries AD. The engineering approach of the abstraction facilities is reconstructed based on analysis of the physical characteristics of the spring and Roman engineering practices. The simple, flexible and robust water intake solutions that were applied functioned in a satisfactory way over a long period that included significant climate changes. This confirms the reliability and resilience of water abstraction from karst springs. A solution similar to the Tyrolean weir, a bottom intake system was integrated into the physical system, enabling the sustainability of the water supply. This solution is a fine example of a water intake structure at a karst spring that could be applied today to solve the problems caused by development and post-industrial climate change.