A geological investigation includes all general geological, raw material geological, engineering geological, geophysical, mineralogical, geochemical, pedological, geothermal, hydrogeological as well as geotechnical measurements and recordings of the earth's surface, the geological subsurface, the soil or the groundwater by means of prospecting, drilling, field or borehole measurements and other exploration methods such as remote sensing.
All geological investigations must be notified to the Bavarian State Office for the Environment (LfU) as the competent authority within the meaning of the Geological Data Act (GeolDG) two weeks before the start of the work by the person carrying out the investigation for his own account or for the account of a third party.
The notification of geological investigations in accordance with the Geological Data Act does not replace the obligation to notify the authorities of earth excavations or drillings in accordance with the Water Resources Act (§ 49 WHG) or the Federal Mining Act (BBergG) or the application for water law or mining law procedures. These must be submitted separately to the authorities responsible for the drilling location in compliance with the statutory deadlines.
Hand drilling and drilling for structural elements such as anchors, dowels, bored piles, etc. are not subject to notification. Furthermore, the LfU waives the notification of small-caliber soundings with hammer drills, such as pile-driving core soundings or pile-driving and pressure soundings, if they are solely used for the exploration of building sites, the detection and monitoring of contaminated sites, the permanent monitoring of groundwater levels and groundwater monitoring in accordance with the Self-Monitoring Ordinance (EÜV).