Distribution, evolution, and morphology of caves in southwestern Samaria, Israel

Karst has a significant role in the morphology of the Judean-Samarian mountains and may be associated with potential risk to groundwater pollution. Despite this, there is little knowledge of the pattern of karst in Samaria and its origin. The purpose of this research is to characterize the karst distribution and origin within southern Samaria. A karst survey was performed in a 25 km² area, in which all the cavities above a volume of 5 m³ were mapped. In most formations in the Judea Group cavities appear in clusters. Each cluster consists of a big cavity and several other smaller ones. The distribution and intensity of cavities is partially explained by the percentage of insoluble residue in the different formations. Most cavities are small, isolated chambers characterized by limited vertical and horizontal development. The morphology of most cavities indicates that they were formed under shallow phreatic conditions, likely before the last major uplift of the backbone of central Israel.