An overview on source, mechanism and investigation approaches in groundwater salinization studies

Mirzavand, Mohammad; Ghasemieh, Hoda; Sadatinejad, Seyyed Javad; Bagheri, Rahim

doi:10.1007/s13762-020-02647-7

Cited by 58 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 113 publications

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“…This result was easily predictable for the coastal GWBs but unexpected in the Murgia Bradanica, being this latter very far from the coastline. As known, chloride concentration in coastal GWBs can be particularly affected by the current seawater intrusion, nevertheless different concurrent saline sources can overlap to seawater contributing to groundwater salinization independently from the GWB distance from the coastline [26,27].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing Natural Background Levels in the Groundwater Bodies of the Apulia Region (Southern Italy)

Masciale

Amalfitano

Frollini

et al. 2021

Water

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Defining natural background levels (NBL) of geochemical parameters in groundwater is a key element for establishing threshold values and assessing the environmental state of groundwater bodies (GWBs). In the Apulia region (Italy), carbonate sequences and clastic sediments host the 29 regional GWBs. In this study, we applied the Italian guidelines for the assessment of the NBLs, implementing the EU Water Framework Directive, in a south-European region characterized by the typical Mediterranean climatic and hydrologic features. Inorganic compounds were analyzed at GWB scale using groundwater quality data measured half-yearly from 1995 to 2018 in the regional groundwater monitoring network (341 wells and 20 springs). Nitrates, chloride, sulfate, boron, iron, manganese and sporadically fluorides, boron, selenium, arsenic, exceed the national standards, likely due to salt contamination along the coast, agricultural practices or natural reasons. Monitoring sites impacted by evident anthropic activities were excluded from the dataset prior to NBL calculation using a web-based software tool implemented to automate the procedure. The NBLs resulted larger than the law limits for iron, manganese, chlorides, and sulfates. This methodology is suitable to be applied in Mediterranean coastal areas with high anthropic impact and overexploitation of groundwater for agricultural needs. The NBL definition can be considered one of the pillars for sustainable and long-term groundwater management by tracing a clear boundary between natural and anthropic impacts.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Assessing the origin of groundwater salinization in coastal aquifers is an issue mainly because it can depend on many concurrent natural or anthropic causes. Besides the possible contribution of seawater intrusion driven by overexploitation and sea-level rise, the scientific literature reports a detailed list of potential sources [26,27].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Natural Background Levels in the Groundwater Bodies of the Apulia Region (Southern Italy)

Masciale

Amalfitano

Frollini

et al. 2021

Water

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“…Salinization and a change in the chemical composition of the groundwater is a result of natural or man-made factors that occur on the current path from the feeding area to the discharge area (Richter et al, 1993). The chemical composition of groundwater in a coastal aquifer is a function of the ratio of fresh/saltwater mixing from different salinity sources, such as water-rock interaction, cation exchange, redox reaction, carbonate and evaporate mineral dissolution, old salty water tapped in the aquifer, and seawater/saltlake intrusion (Mirzavand et al, 2020). Seawater mixing rates in the groundwater in the study area were calculated (Table 3).…”

Section: Hydrogeochemical Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrogeochemical fingerprints of a mixohaline wetland in the Mediterranean: Güllük coastal wetland systems- GCWS (Muğla, Turkey)

Somay-Altaş¹

2021

Turkish J Earth Sci

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Güllük Coastal Wetland System (GCWS) that is located at the contact of Menderes Massif and Lycian Nappe consists of both brackish karstic (Güllük Lagoon-GLW) and saline (Boğaziçi Tuzla-BTW) ecosystems in western Turkey and protected as "National Wetland of Importance". This area is important for its unique wetland features, aquaculture, tourism, agriculture, Bodrum airport, and Güllük port facilities. The aim of this study is evaluating of GLW and BTW by hydrogeologically and hydrogeochemically for the first time together. Mixohaline GCWS is recharged from precipitation, streams, and brackish karstic springs. The Electrical Conductivity (EC) values of Limni Lake and Tuzla salt pan were measured as 15330 and 41000 μS/cm, respectively. EC values of brackish karstic springs are 17310 μS/cm approximately. From the coastal to the inland, the mixing ratio increases and reaches a maximum of 45% in Savranköy spring that discharge from the contact between Milas Formation and alluvium. The relationship between Na-Cl, SO4-HCO3 and Mg/Ca-Cl show that "weathering by ion exchange and/or seawater intrusion process". All the groundwater samples are NaCl water types. In parallel with these results, Gibbs, Schoeller and Piper Diagrams support the same seawater intrusion phenomena. Brackish karst springs first rose and then fell below sea level with epirogenic movements during the geological time and therefore karstification's progress. Samples are oversaturated with calcite, dolomite, and quartz minerals whereas, undersaturated with gypsum and halite minerals. Al, Cu and Zn values of some of the water samples exceed the tolerance limit of aquatic life standards. When the samples are evaluated in terms of irrigation water, brackish springs, and streams at Avşar and located near aquaculture farm, Lake Limni and saltpan have harmful effect to the plants due to their high Na concentration. These results suggest that the wetland is vulnerable because it is both in a sensitive karstic and a lagoon area category. Hydrogeological protected zones should be determined to ensure the sustainability of groundwater resources and to provide the country's economy.

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“…The increasing demand of freshwater, already registered and expect to increase due to CC and the consequent land use changes, has intensified the research on GW salinization, as GW has gained increasing attention as a source of water supply owing to its relatively low vulnerability to pollution in comparison to SW, and its large storage capacity [12]. Even though some comprehensive reviews focusing on the definition, recognition, and monitoring strategies of seawater intrusion (SWI) were already available at the end of the 1990s [13,14], it is above all in the last decade that research on this topic has made enormous strides by deepening not only the understanding of the mechanisms that govern salinization processes [15][16][17][18] but also investigating the effects of salinization of water resources on the surrounding environment [19,20] and recognizing its interaction with human activities [21], thus defining possible adaptive measures and solutions to deal with the actual issues and to face future scenarios [22,23]. In particular, these last studies have emphasized that in the absence of a sustainable water resources management, uncontrolled land-use activities and over exploitation can lead to a relevant and long-lasting deterioration of coastal water resources and ecosystems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Issue of Groundwater Salinization in Coastal Areas of the Mediterranean Region: A Review

Mastrocicco

Colombani

2021

Water

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The Mediterranean area is undergoing intensive demographic, social, cultural, economic, and environmental changes. This generates multiple environmental pressures such as increased demand for water resources, generation of pollution related to wastewater discharge, and land consumption. In the Mediterranean area, recent climate change studies forecast large impacts on the hydrologic cycle. Thus, in the next years, surface and ground-water resources will be gradually more stressed, especially in coastal areas. In this review paper, the historical and geographical distribution of peer-review studies and the main mechanisms that promote aquifer salinization in the Mediterranean area are critically discussed, providing the state of the art on topics such as actual saltwater wedge characterization, paleo-salinities in coastal areas, water-rock interactions, geophysical techniques aimed at delineating the areal and vertical extent of saltwater intrusion, management of groundwater overexploitation using numerical models and GIS mapping techniques for aquifer vulnerability to salinization. Each of the above-mentioned approaches has potential advantages and drawbacks; thus, the best tactic to tackle coastal aquifer management is to employ a combination of approaches. Finally, the number of studies focusing on predictions of climate change effects on coastal aquifers are growing but are still very limited and surely need further research.

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An overview on source, mechanism and investigation approaches in groundwater salinization studies

Cited by 58 publications

References 113 publications

Assessing Natural Background Levels in the Groundwater Bodies of the Apulia Region (Southern Italy)

Assessing Natural Background Levels in the Groundwater Bodies of the Apulia Region (Southern Italy)

Hydrogeochemical fingerprints of a mixohaline wetland in the Mediterranean: Güllük coastal wetland systems- GCWS (Muğla, Turkey)

The Issue of Groundwater Salinization in Coastal Areas of the Mediterranean Region: A Review

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