Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Monitoring and methods to analyse the groundwater quality degradation risk in coastal karstic aquifers (Apulia, Southern Italy)

  • Special Issue
  • Published:
Environmental Geology

Abstract

A multi-methodological approach based on monitoring and spatio-temporal analysis of groundwater quality changes is proposed. The presented tools are simple, quick and cost-effective to give service to all sorts of users. The chief purpose of the monitoring network is the detection of the piezometric or potenziometric level in the aquifer. The spatial and multi-temporal analysis of usual chemical and physical data provides both an assessment of the spatial vulnerability of the aquifer to seawater intrusion, defining a salinity threshold between fresh groundwater and brackish groundwater and of the water quality trend in terms of salinity. The evaluation of the salinity trend or of salinity-correlated parameters highlights the effects of groundwater mismanagement. The multiparameter logging provides a rapid groundwater quality classification for each well. The whole approach allows evaluating the effects of current management criteria and designing more appropriate management targets. The Apulian karstic coastal aquifers have been selected as a case study (Southern Italy). Three types of aquifer zones can be distinguished: (1) areas with low vulnerability to seawater intrusion, (2) areas with high vulnerability and (3) areas with variable vulnerability in which the salt degradation largely depends on the ability to manage the well discharge. The water quality degradation caused by seawater intrusion appears to be a combined effect of an anomalous succession of drought periods observed from about 1980 onwards and increased groundwater pumping, particularly during drought periods. A management criterion based on aquifer zones is proposed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alaimo R, Aureli A, Fidelibus MD, Tulipano L (1989) Chemical and isotopical methodologies in the studies on origin and evolution of groundwaters flowing in the coastal carbonate and karst aquifer of Apulia (southern Italy). In: De Breuck W, Walschot L (eds) l0th SWIM Proceedings, vol 70. Natuurwetenschappelijk Tijdschrift, Gent, Belgium, pp 317–325

  • Apulian Region (1984) Water Protection Plan. Regional council deliberation 455 of 1983, BUR, XV, 57, vol 1–8, Bari, Italy (in Italian)

  • Barrocu G, Cau P, Soddu S, Uras G (2005) Predicting groundwater salinity changes in the coastal aquifer of Arborea (central–western Sardinia). In: 18th SWIM, Cartagena, Spain, 2004, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Madrid, pp 243–256

  • Beneduce P, Festa V, Francioso R, Schiattarella M, Tropeano M (2004) Conflicting drainage patterns in the Matera Horst Area, southern Italy. Phys Chem Earth 29:717–724

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burri E, Castiglioni B, Sauro U (1999) Agriculture, landscape and human impact in some karst areas of Italy. Int J Speleol 28B:33–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • COST (2003) COST Action 620, vulnerability and risk mapping for the protection of carbonate (karst) aquifers. European Commission, Directorate-General for Research, Report EUR 20912, Luxemburg

  • COST (2005) COST Action 621, groundwater management of coastal karstic aquifers. European Commission, Directorate-General for Research, Report EUR 21366, Luxemburg

  • Cotecchia V (1977) Studies and investigations on Apulian groundwaters and intruding seawaters (Salento Peninsula). Quaderni dell’Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque, CNR, 20, Rome, Italy, pp 345

  • Cotecchia V, Polemio M (1999) Apulian groundwater (Southern Italy) salt pollution monitoring network. In: 15th SWIM, Ghent, Belgium, 1998, Flemish Journal of Natural Science, Ghent, Belgium, pp 197–204

  • Cotecchia V, Tadolini T, Tittozzi P (1971) Chemical characteristics of rainfall and effects on Apulian groundwater. Geologia Applicata e Idrogeologia 6:175–196 in Italian

    Google Scholar 

  • Cotecchia V, Tadolini T, Tittozzi P (1973) Apulian dry deposition and chemical effects on groundwater recharge. Geologia Applicata e Idrogeologia 8/II:253–284 (in Italian)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cotecchia V, Tadolini T, Tulipano L (1983) Sea water intrusion in the planning of groundwater resources protection and utilization in the Apulia region (Southern Italy). In: 8th SWIM, Geol. Appl. e Idrog., Bari, Italy pp 367–382

  • Cotecchia V, Limoni PP, Polemio M (1999) Identification of typical chemical and physical conditions in Apulian groundwater (southern Italy) through well multi-parameter logs. In: 39th IAH Congress, Bratislava, pp 353–358

  • Cotecchia V, Grassi D, Polemio M (2005) Carbonate aquifers in Apulia and seawater intrusion. Giornale di Geologia Applicata 1:219–231

    Google Scholar 

  • Deutsch CV, Journel AG (1992) Geostatistical software library and user’s guide. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Fidelibus MD, Tulipano L (1991) Mixing phenomena due to seawater intrusion for the interpretation of chemical and isotopic data of discharge waters in the Apulian coastal carbonate aquifer (Southern Italy). In: Bruggeman GA (ed) Hydrogeology of salt water intrusion. Verlag Heinz Heise, Hannover, pp 317–327

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleury P, Bakalowicz M, De Marsily G (2007) Submarine springs and coastal karst aquifers: a review. J Hydrol 339:79–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glover RE (1959) The pattern of fresh-water flow in a coastal aquifer. J Geophys Res 64:457–459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ISTAT (1999) Project on methods and environmental statistics, system of research on waters. ISTAT, Rome, Italy (in Italian)

  • Jousma G (2006) Guideline on: groundwater monitoring for general reference purposes. IGRAC, GP 2006-1, The Netherlands

  • Kaçaroglu F (1999) Review of groundwater pollution and protection in karst areas. Water Air Soil Pollut 113:337–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kafri U, Goldman M (2005) The use of the time domain electromagnetic method to delineate saline groundwater in granular and carbonate aquifers and to evaluate their porosity. J Appl Geophy 57:167–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keys WS (1990) Borehole geophysics applied to ground-water investigations. USGS, Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, 2, E2, Denver, Colorado

  • Lambeck K, Antonioli F, Purcella A, Silenzi S (2004) Sea-level change along the Italian coast for the past 10, 000 yr. Quat Sci Rev 23:1567–1598

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larabi A, Hilali M, Sbai MA (1999) Investigation of the groundwater salinization in the Martil coastal aquifer (Tetouan-Morocco). In: 15th SWIM, Ghent, Belgium, 1998, Flemish Journal of Natural Science, Ghent; Belgium, pp 263–267

  • LL.PP (1989) Aqueduct General Plan (Apulian Region). Ministero dei Lavori Pubblici, Bari, Italy (in Italian)

  • Maimone M (2002) Developing an effective coastal aquifer management program. In: 17th SWIM. Delft, The Netherlands, pp 327–336

  • Melloul AJ, Goldenberg LC (1997) Monitoring of seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers: basics and local concerns. J Environ Manage 51:73–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michalski A (1989) Application of temperature and electrical-conductivity logging in ground water monitoring. Ground Water Monit Rev 9(3):112–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parise M, Pascali V (2003) Surface and subsurface environmental degradation in the karst of Apulia (southern Italy). Environ Geol 44:247–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Polemio M, Casarano D (2004) Rainfall and drought in southern Italy (1821–2001). The basis of civilization—water science?, vol 286. IAHS Press, Wallingford, pp 217–227

    Google Scholar 

  • Polemio M, Casarano D (2008) Climate change, drought and groundwater availability in southern Italy. In: Dragoni W (ed) Climate change and groundwater, vol 288. Geological Society, London, pp 39–51 special publications

    Google Scholar 

  • Pos VEA (2005) Fresh and saline groundwater interaction in coastal aquifers: Is our technology ready for the problems ahead? Hydrogeol J 13:120–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Selleri G, Sansò P, Walsh N (2003) The karst of Salento region (Apulia, Southern Italy): constraints for management. Acta Carsologica 32(1):19–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Spechler RM (1994) Saltwater intrusion and quality of water in the Floridan aquifer system, northeastern Florida. USGS, water-resources investigations report, 92–4174, Tallahassee, Florida

  • Tulipano L, Fidelibus MD (1989) Temperature of groundwaters in coastal aquifers; some aspects concerning sa1t-water intrusion. In: De Breuck W, Walschot L (eds) l0th SWIM Proceedings. Natuurwetenschappelijk Tijdschrift, Gent, Belgium 70:308–316

  • UNESCO (1998) In: Henny DI, Van Lanen AJ (eds) Monitoring for groundwater management in (semi-) arid regions. Studies and reports in hydrology vol 57, UNESCO, Paris

  • UNESCO (2004) Submarine groundwater discharge. IHP Groundwater series n. 5

  • USEPA (1989) Quinlan JF (ed) Ground-water monitoring in Karst Terrains: recommended protocols and implicit assumptions. EPA, 600/X-89/050

  • Van Meir N, Jaeggi D, Herfort M, Loew S, Pezard P, Gouze P, Lods G (2005) Development of a European test site in a coastal reefal limestone aquifer at Campos (Mallorca, Spain). In: 18th SWIM, Cartagena, Spain, 2004, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Madrid, pp 289–303

  • Vrba J (1988) Groundwater quality monitoring as a tool of groundwater resources protection. In: 21st congress of IAH, karst hydrogeology and karst environment protection vol 2, Geological publication house, Beijing, China, pp 88–97

  • WMO (1994) Guide to hydrological practices vol 168. World Meteorological Organisation

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNR-IRPI, Via Amendola 122/i, 70126, Bari, Italy

    M. Polemio, V. Dragone & P. P. Limoni

Authors
  1. M. Polemio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. V. Dragone
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. P. Limoni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Polemio.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Polemio, M., Dragone, V. & Limoni, P.P. Monitoring and methods to analyse the groundwater quality degradation risk in coastal karstic aquifers (Apulia, Southern Italy). Environ Geol 58, 299–312 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1582-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1582-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation