Abstract:
The actual materials obtained as a result of our studies carried out during years in the ZemoImereti Plateau,
namely, the morphological analysis of karst caves, hydrological-hydrogeological studies, results of tracing (indicator
tests) of underground waters, borehole data and others, allow us to prove that the influence of phreatic, vadose and dry
epochs has been reflected in the evolution of caves. An important part of karst caves has undergone the phreatic stage of
development, though nowadays the traces of pressured flows in most cases have been erased by impact of vadose
waters and other processes (corrosion, destruction, formation of speleothems, etc.). It is being also identified that the
process of evolution of caves is not similar within the same karst massif that is related to the violation of the normal
course of cave development by the influence of tectonic movements or other conditions.In the modern stage of
development, the phreatic regime is well expressed in the Ghrudo underground basin, and the traces of both the vadose
and dry epochs are well preserved in the higher located caves that went through the cycle of development. The periodic
streams play an active role in the next stage of cave development, which, in turn, has been reflected in cyclical nature of
sedimentation.
