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Hydrogeochemical investigations and groundwater provinces of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Plain aquifers, northeastern Italy

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

Water resources are a key factor, particularly for the planning of the sustainable regional development of agriculture, as well as for socio-economic development in general. A hydrochemical investigation was conducted in the Friuli Venezia Giulia aquifer systems to identify groundwater evolution, recharge and extent of pollution. Temperature, pH, electric conductivity, total dissolved solids, alkalinity, total hardness, SAR, Ca2+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Cl−, SO4 2−, NO3 −, HCO3 − , water quality and type, saturation indexes and the environmental stable isotope δ18O were determined in 149 sampling stations. The pattern of geochemical and oxygen stable isotope variations suggests that the sub-surface groundwater (from phreatic and shallow confined aquifers) is being recharged by modern precipitations and local river infiltrations. Four hydrogeological provinces have been recognised and mapped in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Plain having similar geochemical signatures. These provinces have different degrees of vulnerability to contamination. The deep confined groundwater samples are significantly less impacted by surface activities; and it appears that these important water resources have very low recharge rates and would, therefore, be severely impacted by overabstraction.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Onelio Flora, Barbara Stenni and Laura Genoni for the stable isotope analyses, Giorgio Matassi, Manlio Princi, Enio De Corte, Alberto Carniel, Anna Lutman of Arpa FVG for the geochemical data of groundwater. We are also grateful to Giorgio Pilla, Elisa Sacchi, GianMaria Zuppi, Roberto Gonfiantini, Kazimierz Rozanski for their useful suggestions. In addition, we thank Francesco Treu, Ivonne Burla, Susanna Erti, Raffaella Piani, Alessio Mereu, Azzurra Zorzet and Cristina Messineo of the GGACI working group for sample collection and data management. We also wish to thank Dr Rochelle Wigley of the Council for Geoscience in South Africa, who patiently read and improved the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Geological, Environmental and Marine Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Weiss 2, Trieste, Italy

    Franco Cucchi, Giuliana Franceschini & Luca Zini

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  1. Franco Cucchi
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  2. Giuliana Franceschini
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  3. Luca Zini
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Correspondence to Giuliana Franceschini.

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Cucchi, F., Franceschini, G. & Zini, L. Hydrogeochemical investigations and groundwater provinces of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Plain aquifers, northeastern Italy. Environ Geol 55, 985–999 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-1048-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-1048-4

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