Monitoring and Management of Karstic Coastal Groundwater in a Changing Environment (Southern Italy): A Review of a Regional Experience

Polemio, M.

doi:10.3390/w8040148

Cited by 42 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…The increasing population density along the coasts is observed at a global scale, together with the increase in groundwater abstraction, causing problems with groundwater salinity and quantity [16]. This Special Issue confirms that the impacts of global change, resulting from both climate change and increasing anthropogenic pressure, are huge on worldwide coastal areas, with highly negative effects on coastal groundwater resources, widely affected by seawater intrusion.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

Recent Research Results on Groundwater Resources and Saltwater Intrusion in a Changing Environment

Polemio

Walraevens

2019

Water

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This Special Issue presents the work of 30 scientists of 11 countries. It confirms that the impacts of global change, resulting from both climate change and increasing anthropogenic pressure, are huge on worldwide coastal areas (and very particularly on some islands of the Pacific Ocean), with highly negative effects on coastal groundwater resources, widely affected by seawater intrusion. Some improved research methods are proposed in the contributions: using innovative hydrogeological, geophysical, and geochemical monitoring; assessing impacts of the changing environment on the coastal groundwater resources in terms of quantity and quality; and using modelling, especially to improve management approaches. The scientific research needed to face these challenges must continue to be deployed by different approaches based on the monitoring, modeling, and management of groundwater resources. Novel and more efficient methods must be developed to keep up with the accelerating pace of global change.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

Recent Research Results on Groundwater Resources and Saltwater Intrusion in a Changing Environment

Polemio

Walraevens

2019

Water

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“…We have also taken into account the major hydrogeological variables (i.e., flow direction; the presence of cracks, caves, sinkholes, etc.) that can potentially increase the vulnerability of groundwater in terms of pollutants' load distribution, infiltration or diffusion [19,28,29].…”

Section: The Modeling Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, in order to determine the main anthropic and natural pressures on the aquifer, we generated a map of the entire province of Lecce using the geographic information system (GIS) and interpolated it with a grid that led to the subdivision of the study area into quadrangular blocks For its karst nature, this territory has few surface water resources but, on the contrary, has remarkable groundwater resources for the presence of a multi-layered aquifer characterized by the presence of two distinct systems: a shallow multilevel aquifer, which occupies only 35% of the territory and an extensive aquifer intensively exploited as drinking water [17] and irrigation water [18], and which is constantly threatened by the intrusion of salt water [19].…”

Section: The Modeling Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water Quality Assessment: A Quali-Quantitative Method for Evaluation of Environmental Pressures Potentially Impacting on Groundwater, Developed under the M.I.N.O.Re. Project

Filippis¹,

Piscitelli²,

Castorini³

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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Background: At global level, the vulnerability of aquifers is deteriorating at an alarming rate due to environmental pollution and intensive human activities. In this context, Local Health Authority ASL Lecce has launched the M.I.N.O.Re. (Not Compulsory Water Monitoring Activities at Regional level) project, in order to assess the vulnerability of the aquifer in Salento area (Puglia Region) by performing several non-compulsory analyses on groundwater samples. This first paper describes the quali-quantitative approach adopted under the M.I.N.O.Re. project for the assessment of environmental pressures suffered by groundwater and determines the number of wells to be monitored in specific sampling areas on the basis of the local potential contamination and vulnerability of the aquifer. Methods: We created a map of the entire Lecce province, interpolating it with a grid that led to the subdivision of the study area in 32 quadrangular blocks measuring 10 km × 10 km. Based on current hydrogeological knowledge and institutional data, we used GIS techniques to represent on these 32 blocks the 12 different layers corresponding to the main anthropic or environmental type of pressures potentially impacting on the aquifer. To each kind of pressure, a score from 0 to 1 was attributed on the basis of the potential impact on groundwater. A total score was assigned to each of the 32 blocks. A higher number of wells was selected to be monitored in those blocks presenting higher risk scores for possible groundwater contamination due to anthropic/environmental pressures. Results: The range of total scores varied from 2.4 to 42.5. On the basis of total scores, the 10 km × 10 km blocks were divided into four classes of environmental pressure (1st class: from 0,1 to 10,00; 2nd class: from 10,01 to 20,00; 3rd class: from 20,1 to 30,00; 4th class: from 30,01 to 42,50). There were 11 areas in the 1st class, 9 areas in the 2nd class, 8 areas in the 3rd class and 4 areas in the 4th class. We assigned 1 monitoring well in 1st class areas, 2 monitoring wells in 2nd class areas, 3 monitoring wells in 3rd class areas and 4 monitoring wells in 4th class areas. Conclusion: The methodology developed under the M.I.N.O.Re. project could represent a useful model to be used in other areas to assess the environmental pressures suffered by aquifers and the quality of the groundwater.

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“…The former is represented by a unique aquifer, hundreds of meters thick, which correspond to the intensely fissured and karstic carbonate Mesozoic basement; it extends over the whole Salento Peninsula but does not outcrop in the study area; it is hereinafter called deep aquifer [30,31]. This aquifer is affected by seawater intrusion by the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea [32].…”

Section: Hydrogeological Conceptualisationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Compatibility of Geothermal Power Plants with Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems: The Case of the Cesine Wetland (Southern Italy)

et al. 2018

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Abstract:The Cesine Wetland, located along the Adriatic coast, was recognized as a Wetland of International Interest and a National Natural Park. Managed by the "World Wide Fund for nature" (WWF), it is considered a groundwater dependent ecosystem which is affected by seawater intrusion. The site was selected to test the environmental compatibility of a low-enthalpy geothermal power plant (closed loop) operating in the aquifer saturated portion with purpose to improving the visitor centre. For this purpose, the long-lasting thermal impact on groundwater was assessed using a multi-methodological approach. The complex aquifer system was carefully studied with geological, hydrogeological and geochemical surveys, including chemical and isotopic laboratory analyses of surface water, groundwater and seawater. The isotopes δ 18 O, δD, δ 11 B, and 3 H were useful to clarify the recharge contribution, the water mixing and the water age. All information was used to improve the conceptualization of the water system, including aquifers and the boundary conditions for a density driven numerical groundwater model. The purpose was to forecast anthropogenic thermal groundwater variations up to 10 years of plant working before the plant realization and to validate the solution after some working years. All results show the environmental compatibility notwithstanding the peculiar ecological environment.

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Monitoring and Management of Karstic Coastal Groundwater in a Changing Environment (Southern Italy): A Review of a Regional Experience

Cited by 42 publications

References 11 publications

Recent Research Results on Groundwater Resources and Saltwater Intrusion in a Changing Environment

Recent Research Results on Groundwater Resources and Saltwater Intrusion in a Changing Environment

Water Quality Assessment: A Quali-Quantitative Method for Evaluation of Environmental Pressures Potentially Impacting on Groundwater, Developed under the M.I.N.O.Re. Project

The Compatibility of Geothermal Power Plants with Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems: The Case of the Cesine Wetland (Southern Italy)

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