Origin and evolution of a salty gypsum/anhydrite karst spring: the case of Poiano (Northern Apennines, Italy)

Chiesi, M; Waele, Jo Hilaire Agnes De; Forti, Paolo

doi:10.1007/s10040-010-0576-2

Cited by 41 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…This situation occurs, for example, in the Sassalbo area (Tuscany) (Chiesi et al, 2013) and Secchia River Valley (Emilia Romagna), where we find the deepest Italian caves in Triassic evaporites (Franchi & Casadei, 1999). In the area of Poiano springs, halokinetic movements progressively bring the anhydrite rocks, containing halite lenses, in contact with the surface aquifer, leading to the hydration (transformation of anhydrite into gypsum) and dissolution of both halite and sulphate beds (Chiesi et al, 2010). In these areas, caves are usually formed by side tributaries of major valleys that are captured by swallow holes.…”

Section: Speleogenesis and Landscape Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this case (during winter), both temperature and electrical conductivity show almost instantaneous decreases. One of the best-studied gypsum karst springs in Italy is certainly that of Poiano, in the Upper Secchia Valley (Reggio Emilia), being also the largest spring in this region (Chiesi et al, 2010). This brackish water spring drains an anhydritegypsum aquifer containing also halite lenses at depth, and its continuous monitoring has indicated this area to be slowly uplifting.…”

Section: Gypsum Karst Aquifersmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaporite karst in Italy: a review

Waele¹,

Piccini²,

Columbu³

et al. 2017

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Abstract:Although outcropping rarely in Italy, evaporite (gypsum and anhydrite) karst has been described in detail since the early 20 th century. Gypsum caves are now known from almost all Italian regions, but are mainly localised along the northern border of the Apennine chain (Emilia Romagna and Marche), Calabria, and Sicily, where the major outcrops occur. Recently, important caves have also been discovered in the underground gypsum mines in Piedmont. During the late 80s and 90s several multidisciplinary studies were carried out in many gypsum areas, resulting in a comprehensive overview, promoting further research in these special karst regions. More recent and detailed studies focused on the gypsum areas of Emilia-Romagna and Sicily. Sinkholes related to Permian-Triassic gypsum have been studied in Friuli Venezia Giulia. This article reviews the state of the art regarding different aspects of evaporite karst in Italy focusing on the main new results.

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Section: Speleogenesis and Landscape Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Gypsum Karst Aquifersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaporite karst in Italy: a review

Waele¹,

Piccini²,

Columbu³

et al. 2017

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“…This water has high SO 2− 4 values and, if the aquifer consists of halite, also Cl − . Salinity is normally higher than 2-3 g l −1 while Sr 2+ and B tot contents are lower than 15 mg l −1 and 2 mg l −1 , respectively (Chiesi et al, 2010;Duchi et al, 2005;Toscani et al, 2001). pCO 2 is between 0.03-0.3 kPa.…”

Section: Triassic (Tug) and Messinian (Mme) Evaporitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Origin and assessment of deep groundwater inflow in the Ca' Lita landslide using hydrochemistry and in situ monitoring

Cervi

Ronchetti

Martinelli

et al. 2012

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Changes in soil water content, groundwater flow and a rise in pore water pressure are well-known causal or triggering factors for hillslope instability. Rainfall and snowmelt are generally assumed as the main sources of groundwater recharge. This assumption neglects the role of deep water inflow in highly tectonized areas, a factor that can influence long-term pore-pressure regimes and play a role on local slope instability.This paper aims to assess the origin of groundwater in the Ca' Lita landslide (northern Italian Apennines) and to qualify and quantify the aliquot attributable to deep water inflow. The research is essentially based on in situ monitoring and hydrochemical analyses. It involved 5 yr of continuous monitoring of groundwater levels, electrical conductivity and temperature and with groundwater sampling followed by determination of major ions (Na + , K + , Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Cl − , HCO Results show that the groundwater balance in the Ca' Lita landslide must take into account an inflow of deep and highly mineralised Na-SO 4 water (more than 9500 µS cm −1 ) with non-negligible amounts of Cl − (up to 800 mg l −1 ). The chemical and isotopic fingerprint of this water points to oilfield water hosted at large depths in the Apennine chain and that uprises through a regional fault line crossing the landslide area. It recharges the aquifer hosted in the bedrock underlying the sliding surface (at a rate of about 49 000-85 700 m 3 yr −1 ) and it also partly recharges the landslide body. In both the aquifers, the hydrochemical imprint of deep water mixed with rainfall and snowmelt water was observed. This indicates a probable influence of deep water inflow on the mobility of the Ca' Lita landslide, a finding that could be applicable to other large landslides occurring in highly tectonized areas in the northern Apennines or in other mountain chains. The paper demonstrates that hydrochemistry should, therefore, be considered as a valuable investigation method to define hydrogeological limits and the groundwater sources in hillslope and to assess groundwater flow patterns in deepseated landslides.

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“…Also the major karst outlet of the region, the brackish Poiano springs (6 g/L NaCl) and the nearby Tanone cave, have been studied in detail (Forti et al, 1988;Chiesi & Forti, 2009). The multiparametric monitoring of Poiano has evidenced the salt concentration to vary in time suggesting a slow uplift of the area, causing the underground circulation to progressively dissolve salty lenses (Chiesi et al, 2010). Finally, in Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Hydrogeological flow in gypsum karst areas: some examples from northern Italy and main circulation models

Vigna¹,

D’Angeli²,

Fiorucci³

et al. 2017

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Abstract:A Messinian succession containing gypsum beds crops out in northern Italy, mainly in Piedmont and along the northern flank of the Apennine mountains in Emilia-Romagna. These gypsum bodies have been extensively quarried at the surface, in outcrops, and through underground quarries. In Emilia-Romagna these gypsum outcrops can be rather extensive, several km long and up to 1 km wide, while in Piedmont they are mostly covered by silty-marly deposits of Upper Messinian and Pliocene age and show only sparse and small outcrops. The underground quarrying of these evaporite bodies in Piedmont has allowed studying in detail their hydrogeology, and the ways in which water flows through these karst rocks. In contrast, in Emilia-Romagna the hydrogeology of these aquifers has been studied with traditional spring water monitoring and speleological methods. On the basis of the results it has been possible to define three conceptual models regarding the water circulation in these evaporites, similar to the models existing for carbonate aquifers. The models represent aquifers with decreasing vulnerability to pollution, from the more vulnerable system with dominant conduit drainage, characterizing most of the known gypsum aquifers, to those with interconnected conduit drainage and with dispersive circulation.

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Origin and evolution of a salty gypsum/anhydrite karst spring: the case of Poiano (Northern Apennines, Italy)

Cited by 41 publications

References 7 publications

Evaporite karst in Italy: a review

Evaporite karst in Italy: a review

Origin and assessment of deep groundwater inflow in the Ca' Lita landslide using hydrochemistry and in situ monitoring

Hydrogeological flow in gypsum karst areas: some examples from northern Italy and main circulation models

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