Olocenic alluvial aquifer of the River Cornia coastal plain (southern Tuscany, Italy): database design for groundwater management

Abstract

Hydrogeological research is in progress, utilizing GIS methods, with the principal aim of modelling the Olocenic alluvial aquifer of the River Cornia coastal plain (southern Tuscany, Italy), which has been exploited for drinking water, irrigation, and industrial uses. A consequence of exploitation has been the appearance of wide seawater intrusion. The alluvial aquifer has recently been subjected to new well fields for the supply of drinking water, with an increase of total average discharge of about 4!10 6 m 3 /year. This paper presents results obtained from updating and integrating basic knowledge and structuring the database. The hydrogeological study allowed the recognition of the extension of areas that are characterized by a hydraulic head under the sea level, the progressive salinization of the aquifer, and the increase of water deficit in the aquifer which is produced by a progressive extraction of water superior to the natural recharge. In addition, benefits and disadvantages resulting from the location of new well fields in a hydrogeologically favourable zone, and the boundary conditions for much of the area studied have been defined. The GIS was used as support for making and updating the tabular and spatial database with the aim of integrating the local and regional hydrogeological knowledge. This study will permit the realization of a numerical simulation of the groundwater flow of the aquifer aimed at correcting the management of water resources, by means of the GIS-modelling integration.

Determination and evaluation of some physicochemical parameters in the Dardanelles (Canakkale Strait, Turkey) using multiple probe system and geographic information system

“…Several researchers have used a Geographical Information System (GIS) as a tool to treat data on spatial and temporal variations (ESRI 1996;Kosmas et al 1997;Barazzuoli et al 1999;Thwaites and Slater 2000;Hudak and Sanmanee 2003). The ArcView 3.2 GIS (ESRI 1996) was employed to develop the maps.…”

Semi-Automatic Identification and Pre-Screening of Geological–Geotechnical Deformational Processes Using Persistent Scatterer Interferometry Datasets

“…Campiglia Marittima and Suvereto are placed along the Cornia river valley and are characterized by intensive agriculture thanks to the presence of highly productive aquifers. Thus, land subsidence phenomenon is caused by water withdrawal that triggers long-term consolidation of unconsolidated loamy and silty sediments [35]. The surroundings of the fluvial valley are characterized by widespread slope processes along the gentle valley flanks.…”

Salinity variations in the water resources fed by the Etnean volcanic aquifers (Sicily, Italy): natural vs. anthropogenic causes

“…Salinization of groundwaters is a particularly widespread problem in highly populated, arid, and semi-arid zones like the Mediterranean region. Many examples can be found in Portugal (Algarve- Stigter et al 1998), Spain (Castilla andEbro Valley-Puigdefabregas andMendizabal 1998), Italy (Cornia River- Barazzuoli et al 1999), Greece (Thrace- Petalas and Lambrakis 2006), Turkey (Mersin aquifer -Demirel 2004), Cyprus (Kiti aquifer- Milnes and Renard 2004), Middle East (Gaza Strip- Vengosh et al 2005); Israeli Coastal Aquifer- Kass et al 2005), Tunisia (Sfax- Trabelsi et al 2005), Marocco (Souss Valley-Ait Tirri 1995), etc. In many coastal areas of the Mediterranean water shortage and water quality deterioration are the two sides of the same coin, which are caused both by overexploitation of the water resources and pollution (Dimitrou et al 2008;Salazar et al 2007).…”