The hydrogeology of high-mountain carbonate areas: an example of some Alpine systems in southern Piedmont (Italy)

Vigna, Bartolomeo; Banzato, Cinzia

doi:10.1007/s12665-015-4308-8

Cited by 31 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Karst formations occur in limestone rocks through which tunnel‐like flow paths have developed through dissolution (White, 2002). Due to the abundance of limestones and dolomites in the European Alps, much of the published research on karst formations in high mountains is from this region (Chen et al, 2018; Corniello, Ducci, Ruggieri, & Iorio, 2018; Gremaud, Goldscheider, Savoy, Favre, & Masson, 2009; Gremaud & Goldscheider, 2010; Lauber & Goldscheider, 2014; Turk et al, 2015; Vigna & Banzato, 2015).…”

Section: Mountain Aquifers and Flow Pathwaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of groundwater in high mountain environments

2020

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Mountain water resources are of particular importance for downstream populations but are threatened by decreasing water storage in snowpack and glaciers. Groundwater contribution to mountain streamflow, once assumed to be relatively small, is now understood to represent an important water source to streams. This review presents an overview of research on groundwater in high mountain environments (As classified by Meybeck et al. (2001) as very high, high, and mid-altitude mountains). Coarse geomorphic units, like talus, alluvium, and moraines, are important stores and conduits for high mountain groundwater. Bedrock aquifers contribute to catchment streamflow through shallow, weathered bedrock but also to higher order streams and central valley aquifers through deep fracture flow and mountain-block recharge. Tracer and water balance studies have shown that groundwater contributes substantially to streamflow in many high mountain catchments, particularly during lowflow periods. The percentage of streamflow attributable to groundwater varies greatly through time and between watersheds depending on the geology, topography, climate, and spatial scale. Recharge to high mountain aquifers is spatially variable and comes from a combination of infiltration from rain, snowmelt, and glacier melt, as well as concentrated recharge beneath losing streams, or through fractures and swallow holes. Recent advances suggest that high mountain groundwater may provide some resilience-at least temporarily-to climate-driven glacier and snowpack recession. A paucity of field data and the heterogeneity of alpine landscapes remain important challenges, but new data sources, tracers, and modeling methods continue to expand our understanding of high mountain groundwater flow.

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Section: Mountain Aquifers and Flow Pathwaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of groundwater in high mountain environments

2020

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“…Within the Calcareous Alps (Northern and Southern) more than 75% of the precipitation infiltrates quickly through sinkholes into the karst system (Gattinger 1980) and the soil cover (Rendzina soil) is thin or non-existent. A major characteristic of karst aquifers is the very short mean residence time of the fast flow component in the range of only a few hours or days (Lauber and Goldscheider 2014) associated with fast flow velocities of up to several hundreds of meters per hour (Bakalowicz 2005;Vigna and Banzato 2015) and high variations in spring discharge. Single karst springs with a high discharge may drain large catchments (Rehrl and Birk 2010).…”

Section: Rhenodanubian Flysch Zone (Rfz)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some examples of very different kinds of carbonatic aquifers-karstic and non-karstic one-are described from the southern Piedmont region in Italy (Vigna and Banzato 2015). Three basic conceptual models are postulated here:…”

Section: Rhenodanubian Flysch Zone (Rfz)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Review: Natural tracers in fractured hard-rock aquifers in the Austrian part of the Eastern Alps—previous approaches and future perspectives for hydrogeology in mountain regions

Hilberg

2016

Hydrogeol J

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Extensive in-depth research is required for the implementation of natural tracer approaches to hydrogeological investigation to be feasible in mountainous regions. This review considers the application of hydrochemical and biotic parameters in mountain regions over the past few decades with particular reference to the Austrian Alps, as an example for alpine-type mountain belts. A brief introduction to Austria's hydrogeological arrangement is given to show the significance of fractured hard-rock aquifers for hydrogeological science as well as for water supply purposes. A literature search showed that research concerning fractured hard-rock aquifers in Austria is clearly underrepresented to date, especially when taking the abundance of this aquifer type and the significance of this topic into consideration. The application of abiotic natural tracers (hydrochemical and isotope parameters) is discussed generally and by means of examples from the Austrian Alps. The potential of biotic tracers (microbiota and meiofauna) is elucidated. It is shown that the meiofauna approach to investigating fractured aquifers has not yet been applied in the reviewed region, nor worldwide. Two examples of new approaches in mountainous fractured aquifers are introduced:(1) use of CO 2 partial pressure and calcite saturation of spring water to reconstruct catchments and flow dynamics (abiotic approach), and, (2) consideration of hard-rock aquifers as habitats to reconstruct aquifer conditions (biotic approach).

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“…10). This type of karst system is best described as a 'dominant conduit model' (Vigna and Banzato, 2015;Filippini et al, 2018) in which (1) surface -groundwater connectivity is high and surface water rapidly infiltrates the system; (2) water is efficiently transported through the system by a network of connected subsurface conduits; and (3) flow is towards the zone of lowest hydraulic pressure. Preferential drainage routes are along weaknesses in the rock structure such as faults or folds.…”

Section: Regional Karst Connectionsmentioning

confidence: 99%