Evaluating acceptability of groundwater protection measures under different agricultural policies

Giordano, R.; D’Agostino, Daniela; Apollonio, Ciro; Scardigno, Alessandra; Pagano, Alessandro; Portoghese, Ivan; Lamaddalena, Nicola; Piccinni, Alberto Ferruccio; Vurro, Michele

doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2014.07.023

Cited by 33 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Previous work has examined approaches to groundwater protection policy, including in complex settings of multiple stakeholders with varied priorities [91,92]; however, environmental contaminants that present human health risks are not typically emphasized in those analyses. Other studies have reported on the vulnerability of aquifers to contaminants such as nitrates and pesticides in the U.S. and elsewhere, and these locations may similarly benefit from an integrated assessment that includes an evaluation of exposure pathways and health risks [93][94][95].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated Assessment of Shallow-Aquifer Vulnerability to Multiple Contaminants and Drinking-Water Exposure Pathways in Holliston, Massachusetts

Henn

Ogneva‐Himmelberger

Denehy³

et al. 2017

Water

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Half of U.S. drinking water comes from aquifers, and very shallow ones (<20 feet to water table) are especially vulnerable to anthropogenic contamination. We present the case of Holliston, a Boston, Massachusetts suburb that draws its drinking water from very shallow aquifers, and where metals and solvents have been reported in groundwater. Community concerns focus on water discolored by naturally occurring manganese (Mn), despite reports stating regulatory aesthetic compliance. Epidemiologic studies suggest Mn is a potentially toxic element (PTE) for children exposed by the drinking-water pathway at levels near the regulatory aesthetic level. We designed an integrated, community-based project: five sites were profiled for contaminant releases; service areas for wells were modeled; and the capture zone for one vulnerable well was estimated. Manganese, mercury, and trichloroethylene are among 20 contaminants of interest. Findings show that past and/or current exposures to multiple contaminants in drinking water are plausible, satisfying the criteria for complete exposure pathways. This case questions the adequacy of aquifer protection and monitoring regulations, and highlights the need for integrated assessment of multiple contaminants, associated exposures and health risks. It posits that community-researcher partnerships are essential for understanding and solving complex problems.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated Assessment of Shallow-Aquifer Vulnerability to Multiple Contaminants and Drinking-Water Exposure Pathways in Holliston, Massachusetts

Henn

Ogneva‐Himmelberger

Denehy³

et al. 2017

Water

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“…The present study underlined that a feasible integrated management of GW resources requires to take into account various interactions among decision-makers, policies and climatic conditions [12]. More in detail, the key aspects to be considered are: (i) the main variables related to Irr d , both direct (environmental) and indirect (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Semi-structured interviews involving both local farmers and members of the consortium were performed (e.g. [2], [12]), and then replicated.…”

Section: Analysis Of the Main Dynamics Of The Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Migrad: A Water Allocation Model for Multi-Resources Irrigation Supply Systems in the Capitanata District, Italy

Zingaro¹,

Portoghese²,

Pagano³

et al. 2017

WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment

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The present work describes a model developed to interpret water allocation patterns in an intensive agricultural district of Southern Italy, supplied both by groundwater (at farm-scale) and surface water (managed by a local authority) with variable costs and specific operation. The model aims at evaluating the impact of some drivers (mainly the water cost) on water resources management and groundwater conservation at the district scale. The model is part of a Decision Support System (DSS) developed to investigate the main dynamics in an agricultural district, integrating in a model based on System Dynamics specific sub-modules (e.g. Crop Water Demand, Surface Reservoir Balance, Groundwater Balance and Farmers' Behavioural Model). Semi-structured interviews were carried out with local stakeholders in order to define (i) the relationship between the irrigation source selection and the water tariff applied in the irrigation district, and (ii) the selection of groundwater, based on cost, to fulfil the irrigation needs. The volumes from surface water were evaluated during the model calibration phase according to the expected irrigation needs, and found to be significantly correlated to the water stock in the reservoir well before the start of the irrigation season. The validation phase showed a good agreement between measured and simulated reservoir irrigation uptakes in the period 2000-2012. It was mainly shown that the preference for a water source depends mainly on the ratio between the surface water tariff and the groundwater pumping cost at farm-scale. The results also demonstrated that a restrictive water tariff policy applied during drought periods produced a marked increase in the groundwater use instead of reducing the water-irrigation consumption. Globally the model allows to better describe the drivers influencing farmers' behaviour and, thus, supports assessing the impacts of water policies, such as those related to water tariff.

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“…Decision support systems have the ability to integrate diverse aspects of the planning process, and may take into account the spatial dimension. As such, they have been broadly used in the management of natural resources, including water [44,45], fire [46,47], or wind [48]. Decision support systems may be used to produce scenarios or forecasts [49] and may encompass a large number of qualitative or quantitative variables.…”

Section: Methodological Precedents Research Objectives and Noveltiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping the Viability, Time, and Cost of Manual Borehole Drilling in Developing Regions

Martínez‐Santos

Martín-Loeches

Solera

et al. 2017

Water

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While access to water remains an issue in arid and semiarid regions across the world, aquifers have the potential to help millions of people out of poverty by providing a reliable source of drinking and irrigation water. Manual boreholes are increasingly advocated as a safe and cost-effective substitute to mechanized drilling, as well as to traditional excavation methods. This research banks on the assumption that field and remote sensing data can be integrated within a geospatial database in order to map the viability of manual boreholes based on factors such as rock type, water table depth, landforms, or water quality. The approach presents three main novelties in relation to methodological precedents: (1) outcomes are not only expressed in terms of technical feasibility, but also as a function of drilling time and cost; (2) maps refer to a specific drilling technique; and (3) results take into account borehole diameter, as this constrains both drilling time and cost. The method provides univocal outcomes that can be immediately useful for non-experts, donors, planners, or practitioners and that can be readily exported to other catchment-scale settings. Results were validated against geophysical data.

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Evaluating acceptability of groundwater protection measures under different agricultural policies

Cited by 33 publications

References 25 publications

Integrated Assessment of Shallow-Aquifer Vulnerability to Multiple Contaminants and Drinking-Water Exposure Pathways in Holliston, Massachusetts

Integrated Assessment of Shallow-Aquifer Vulnerability to Multiple Contaminants and Drinking-Water Exposure Pathways in Holliston, Massachusetts

Migrad: A Water Allocation Model for Multi-Resources Irrigation Supply Systems in the Capitanata District, Italy

Mapping the Viability, Time, and Cost of Manual Borehole Drilling in Developing Regions

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