Agricultural changes affecting water availability: from abundance to scarcity (Fucino Plain, central Italy)

Abstract

The study reported in this paper analysed the significant agricultural changes that the Fucino Plain (central Italy) has experienced in the past few years and their impact on water availability. In the past, the Fucino Plain (surface area: over 200 km 2 ) hosted the largest lake of central Italy. In the late 1800s, the lake was drained to be used as farmland. Recently, however, the fast change in agricultural activities (with the expansion of water-intensive horticultural crops) and climate (decreasing precipitation and increasing temperature) has broken the environmental equilibrium of the plain, causing groundwater lowering, spring exhaustion, decreased canal discharge in summer and groundwater pollution risks connected with fertiliser and pesticide use.New data on water usage and farming made it possible to develop a new ''integrated'' water budget of the plain, taking into account the impact of human activities on the water cycle. Monitoring of the main well fields, of crop distribution and of natural discharge in canals and springs, will enable better management of local water resources, reducing their exploitation during the irrigation season. Copyright # 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.key words: agriculture; hydrogeology; water management; monitoring; reclamation; Italy RÉ SUMÉ Le Lac Fucino, qui s'étend sur 200 km 2 en Italie centrale, a été asséché au cours du 19 ème siècle, pour fournir des terrains utilisables pour l'agriculture. L'activité agricole comportait, avant la réforme agricole de 1951, une grande proportion de blé, de pomme de terre et de betterave sucrière, en rotation triennale. A partir de 1962, cette situation va se modifier pour arriver dans les dernières années à une concentration importante de produits maraîchers, qui demandent une grande quantité d'eau d'irrigation. L'exploitation des eaux souterraines des aquifères karstiques et de la plaine de Fucino qui en a résulté, particulièrement concentrée en été en absence, de recharge des aquifères, entraine un risque élevé de pollution des aquifères et d'abaissement de la nappe. Ainsi observe-t-on de nouveaux problèmes environnementaux. Aujourd'hui, les eaux du Fucino proviennent seulement de l'exploitation des eaux souterraines, qui alimentent le débit des eaux de surface. Cette situation a été induite également par la baisse naturelle des précipitations et l'augmentation des besoins en eau d'irrigation. L'étude du problème a permis de bâtir un bilan hydrique 'complet' de la plaine, qui considère non seulement les eaux naturelles, mais également les influences des activités humaines sur la disponibilité en eau.

Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems: Classification, Identification Techniques and Threats

“…Depth-to-groundwater has increased by 4-17 m in an irrigation region of northwest China, forming several cones of depression covering about 1000 km 2 (Wang et al 2003). Similarly, Burri and Petitta (2004) observed progressive disappearance of numerous springs in the Fucino Plain, Italy, due to increased agricultural water-use for water-intensive horticultural crops and second harvest practices. In some areas of extensive urban development, groundwater depletion has occurred at alarming rates.…”

Ring maps applied to hydrogeological and environmental studies in alluvial aquifers, central Italy

“…Starting from the Pliocene, these basins were filled with detritic and alluvial deposits sourced from weathering of the surrounding carbonate mountains (Desiderio, D'Arcevia, Nanni, & Rusi, 2012). The deposits have thicknesses varying up to maximums of more than 1000 m (Burri & Petitta, 2004) and are characterised by an extremely variable permeability depending upon granulometry. This heterogeneity within the basins controls groundwater flows mainly occurring within multi-layered aquifer systems.…”

Numerical Simulation of Pesticide Transport and Fate for Water Management in the Fucino Plain, Italy

“…To compare simulation results with field data, use was made of field data collected from the agricultural area of the Fucino Plain, Central Italy, which has been studied in the last ten years from hydrological, hydrogeological, and agricultural points of view [29][30][31][32].…”

“…The fractured carbonate aquifers surrounding the Plain feed high-discharge springs and streambed springs, which ensure steady discharges even during the dry season [30]. The heterogeneous aquifer of the Plain, having a variable vertical permeability, is supplied by groundwater seepage and by direct infiltration from rainfall.…”

“…The heterogeneous aquifer of the Plain, having a variable vertical permeability, is supplied by groundwater seepage and by direct infiltration from rainfall. The long-term water balance of the Plain ha 700 mm/y of rainfall, 450 mm/y of evapotranspiration, s and consequently 250 mm/y of water excess in the October-March period [30]. As a consequence, crop irrigation was based on a sustainable use of surface water and, increasingly, groundwater through the 1980s.…”