Terrestrial Laser Scanner Acquisition For Snow Depth and Groundwater Recharge Quantification in an Alpine Basin

Climate change is the main factor that induces alterations in the hydrological cycle and mountains represent its first indicators, because they respond rapidly and intensely to climatic and environmental modifications. Obtaining reliable scenarios on water resources availability is a prerequisite to planning management measures. The snowfall and the resulting seasonal snow cover represent an important source of water, including surface and subsurface flows. A terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) was employed to measure snow depth and snow cover in the Mascognaz basin at 1850 m (Ayas municipality, Regione Autonoma Valle d'Aosta, Italy). We choose this site because the Politecnico di Torino installed an advanced meteorological station in 2010 (equipped with sensors measuring snow depth, snow density and snow water equivalent). Furthermore downstream the area are located two springs, both equipped with probes measuring water level, temperature and electrical conductivity. The aim of this study is to recognize the accumulation areas from melting areas through the generation of high dense digital snow elevation model. In this way is possible better understand the snowmelt process that contributes widely to the groundwater recharge. We used the Riegl VZ 4000 that is very powerful for measurements of snowcovered surfaces in high alpine catchment thanks to the long-range acquisition. The TLS monitoring consists in three phases: a summer acquisition, with the purpose to obtain a DSM (Digital Surface Model); a winter acquisition, that aims to evaluate accurately the snow cover and the snow accumulation areas and a spring acquisition with the purpose to investigate the snow-pack development and evaluate the available volume of water generate by snow during the melting phenomena. Finally, we used the ArcGIS 10.2 software to improve spatial analysis evaluation, estimate the Snow Water Equivalent (SWE). and obtain important information on the amount of water resources available for human consumption

A frequency and time domain approach to analyze springs monitoring data: application on porous and shallow aquifers in mountain areas (Aosta Valley)

Aquifers in mountain areas are a strategic resource for the people who live there. To optimize future management, it is vital to understand hydrogeological systems from both geological and hydrogeological perspectives. In these aquifers there are often very few wells which permit hydrogeological observation. In great part, therefore, studies on the functioning and hydrodynamics of aquifers have been based on analyzing the hydrograph (depletion and/or recession) or on the complete hydrograph corresponding to an identifiable rainfall event. In order to compensate for this lack of data of the aquifer system analysis in time and frequency domain have been applied. The aim of this paper was to apply these methods, usually applied in karst systems, to small mountain springs supplied by porous and shallow aquifers. The applications of these analysis enable the study of the whole of the hydrographs of the mountain springs and their relationship with the input function (precipitation, essentially), as opposed to many other methods which use only recession or another part of the hydrograph. The methodology proposed treats the series at the time and frequency level, and thus differentiates between short and long periods of rainfall and discharge, which are impossible to differentiate using deconvolution or simple visualization of the unit hydrograph, or with any other method which does not discriminate the spectral variation. The application of this method to six mountain springs, located in the Italy North-Western Alps in the Aosta Valley Region, has served to test the usefulness of these tools in porous and shallow systems. This analysis offers quantifiable and objective criteria for differentiation and comparisons of aquifer systems

Terrestrial Laser Scanner Acquisition For Snow Depth and Groundwater Recharge Quantification in an Alpine Basin

Climate change is the main factor that induces alterations in the hydrological cycle and mountains represent its first indicators, because they respond rapidly and intensely to climatic and environmental modifications. Obtaining reliable scenarios on water resources availability is a prerequisite to planning management measures. The snowfall and the resulting seasonal snow cover represent an important source of water, including surface and subsurface flows. A terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) was employed to measure snow depth and snow cover in the Mascognaz basin at 1850 m (Ayas municipality, Regione Autonoma Valle d'Aosta, Italy). We choose this site because the Politecnico di Torino installed an advanced meteorological station in 2010 (equipped with sensors measuring snow depth, snow density and snow water equivalent). Furthermore downstream the area are located two springs, both equipped with probes measuring water level, temperature and electrical conductivity. The aim of this study is to recognize the accumulation areas from melting areas through the generation of high dense digital snow elevation model. In this way is possible better understand the snowmelt process that contributes widely to the groundwater recharge. We used the Riegl VZ 4000 that is very powerful for measurements of snowcovered surfaces in high alpine catchment thanks to the long-range acquisition. The TLS monitoring consists in three phases: a summer acquisition, with the purpose to obtain a DSM (Digital Surface Model); a winter acquisition, that aims to evaluate accurately the snow cover and the snow accumulation areas and a spring acquisition with the purpose to investigate the snow-pack development and evaluate the available volume of water generate by snow during the melting phenomena. Finally, we used the ArcGIS 10.2 software to improve spatial analysis evaluation, estimate the Snow Water Equivalent (SWE). and obtain important information on the amount of water resources available for human consumption

Identification of suitable locations for artificial groundwater recharge in a mining area of India by using remote sensing and GIS techniques

Mining is one of the major activities causing water pollution and threating the quality and quantity of surface and groundwater resources in many parts of the world. Mining and related activities also damage the aquifer and decrease the water availability in the area. Groundwater may be considered as one of the most precious and basic needs for human existence and the survival of people providing the luxuries and comforts in addition to fulfilling the basic necessities of life. In India, more than 90% of the rural and nearly 30% of the urban populations depend on groundwater for drinking and domestic requirements. Historically, the overexploitation of groundwater resources is a major issue in Indian country. In fact in the last decades annual water demand has increased for agricultural and industrial activities. The hydrogeological system characterization and the artificial recharging of aquifers might help to solve the problem of the groundwater level decreasing. For this purpose, six important hydrogeological factors such as slope, infiltration, drainage, depth to groundwater, land use and geology have been considered to define the most suitable locations for artificial groundwater recharge in mining area. Different thematic maps were prepared from existing maps and data sets, remote-sensing images, and field investigations for identification of suitable locations for artificial recharge. Thematic layers for these parameters were organized as raster data, classified, weighted and integrated in a GIS environment using of Boolean and Fuzzy logic. The main objective of the present study is identifying artificial recharge site in West Bokaro coalfield of Jharkhand state using remote sensing and GIS applications, in order to make a proper planning and sustainable management of groundwater resources

Identification of suitable locations for artificial groundwater recharge in a mining area of India by using remote sensing and GIS techniques

Mining is one of the major activities causing water pollution and threating the quality and quantity of surface and groundwater resources in many parts of the world. Mining and related activities also damage the aquifer and decrease the water availability in the area. Groundwater may be considered as one of the most precious and basic needs for human existence and the survival of people providing the luxuries and comforts in addition to fulfilling the basic necessities of life. In India, more than 90% of the rural and nearly 30% of the urban populations depend on groundwater for drinking and domestic requirements. Historically, the overexploitation of groundwater resources is a major issue in Indian country. In fact in the last decades annual water demand has increased for agricultural and industrial activities. The hydrogeological system characterization and the artificial recharging of aquifers might help to solve the problem of the groundwater level decreasing. For this purpose, six important hydrogeological factors such as slope, infiltration, drainage, depth to groundwater, land use and geology have been considered to define the most suitable locations for artificial groundwater recharge in mining area. Different thematic maps were prepared from existing maps and data sets, remote-sensing images, and field investigations for identification of suitable locations for artificial recharge. Thematic layers for these parameters were organized as raster data, classified, weighted and integrated in a GIS environment using of Boolean and Fuzzy logic. The main objective of the present study is identifying artificial recharge site in West Bokaro coalfield of Jharkhand state using remote sensing and GIS applications, in order to make a proper planning and sustainable management of groundwater resources

Identification of artificial groundwater recharging zone using a GIS-based fuzzy logic approach: a case study in a coal mine area of the Damodar Valley, India

Abstract The West Bokaro coalfield is a richest coal-mining belt in the Damodar Valley, India. The extensive mining of the area has resulted in disruption of the groundwater availability in terms of both quantity and quality. This has led to a drinking water crisis, especially during the pre-monsoon period in the West Bokaro coalfield area. The characterization of the hydrogeological system and the artificial recharging of the aquifers might help to better manage the problem of the groundwater-level depletion. For this purpose, seven important hydrogeological factors (water depth, slope, drainage, soil, infiltration, lithology, and landuse) have been considered to define the most suitable locations for artificial groundwater recharging in the mining area. Different thematic maps were prepared from existing maps and data sets, remote-sensing images, and field investigations for identification of the most suitable locations for artificial recharge. Thematic layers for these parameters were prepared, classified, weighted, and integrated into a geographic information system (GIS) environment by means of fuzzy logic. The results of the study indicate that about 29 and 31% of the area are very suitable and suitable for recharging purposes in the West Bokaro coalfield. However, the rest of the area is moderate to unsuitable for recharging due to the ongoing mining and related activities in the study area. The groundwater recharging map of the study area was validated with measured electrical conductivity (EC) values in the groundwater, and it indicated that validation can be accepted for the identification of groundwater recharging sites. These findings are providing useful information for the proper planning and sustainable management of the groundwater resources in the study area

Valutazione della vulnerabilità intrinseca di sorgenti in aree montane

Negli ultimi anni lo studio sulle sorgenti ha acquisito un ruolo sempre più preponderante nel campo ambientale, conseguenza dell'esigenza di definire nel modo più preciso ed univoco possibile le quantità di risorse idriche disponibili per l'approvvigionamento nonché le caratteristiche fisico - chimiche al fine di valutarne l'idoneità al consumo umano e la loro tutela. Il territorio valdostano ha la peculiare caratteristica di possedere su di una superficie ridotta (3263 km2) un numero considerevole di sorgenti (circa 1700 di cui captate circa 600). Da ciò si evince come la salvaguardia e la tutela dei corpi idrici che alimentano queste sorgenti siano obbiettivi prioritari per la Pubblica Amministrazione di questa Regione. Attualmente, la Regione Autonoma Valle d'Aosta è sprovvista di un metodo standardizzato per la delimitazione delle aree di salvaguardia e la progettazione delle opere di presa. Pertanto, è nato un progetto di cooperazione transfrontaliera per cercare di rimediare a tali mancanze. Questa tesi di dottorato, si inserisce all'interno del progetto "Collaborazione di ricerca per la gestione delle sorgenti di montagna", siglata tra il Politecnico di Torino e il Servizio Geologico della Regione Autonoma Valle d'Aosta, nell'ambito del "Programma di Cooperazione Transfrontaliera Italia Svizzera 2007 - 2013 STRADA". La prima fase del lavoro svolto durante la tesi è stata quella di individuare alcune sorgenti-tipo, su cui condurre uno studio approfondito. Per fare ciò è stato necessario acquisire una serie di dati mediante il confronto critico tra i diversi database regionali. Tali banche dati, spesso non coerenti tra loro, hanno fornito il primo supporto per effettuare i numerosi sopralluoghi finalizzati alla scelta delle sorgenti da inserire nel progetto, alla loro strumentazione e al loro campionamento. Successivamente, sono stati effettuati circa 40 sopralluoghi finalizzati ad identificare quali sorgenti presentassero un'opera di captazione adatta o adattabile, con piccole modifiche, alle esigenze tecniche di misurazione e di posizionamento della sonda, come la presenza di una vasca di calma e di uno stramazzo. In questa occasione è stato eseguito anche un campionamento per la definizione delle caratteristiche chimiche di ogni sorgente visionata. Quindi, in relazione a considerazioni effettuate sul terreno e all'acquisizione di alcuni dati chimici forniti dalla Regione o dai diversi Comuni, oltre ai risultati delle analisi chimiche eseguite è stata effettuata un'ulteriore scelta che ha visto l'inserimento in questo studio delle 7 sorgenti più rappresentative di una particolare tipologia in relazione al chimismo, alla quota sul livello medio del mare o all'ubicazione in particolari contesti caratterizzati da elevato rischio di inquinamento e quindi particolarmente vulnerabili. Infine, le sorgenti scelte sono state strumentate con sonde multiparametriche. Ciò ha permesso di eseguire su ognuna di esse uno studio di dettaglio riguardante: le caratteristiche geologiche ed idrogeologiche; l'applicazione di metodi di analisi dell'idrogramma, quali l'analisi della curva d'esaurimento e l'analisi sulle time series, ed infine l'applicazione ed il miglioramento di metodi volti all'assegnazione di un grado di vulnerabilità intrinseca il quale consente di delimitare le relative aree di salvaguardia secondo la normativa vigente. I risultati forniti da questa tesi di dottorato saranno la base scientifica su cui la Pubblica Amministrazione si baserà per ottimizzare la gestione e la progettazione delle sorgenti montane site nel territorio valdostano. In questo modo si potrà attuare un uso più razionale della risorsa ed una sua miglior tutela, le quali sono azioni fondamentali e prioritarie per una Regione in cui i principali settori economici sono il primario ed il turistico/ricreativ

Vulnerability of Mountain Springs Affect by Climatic Change: A New Method in a Porous Media Aquifer in Regione Automa Valle d'Aosta

The springs in the mountains region are a strategic resource for the local inhabitants. Moreover these resources are particularly sensitive to climatic changes (CC), as documented by spatial-temporal discharge measurements. In order to assess their vulnerability in relation to climate changes and test different methods usually applied in karst environment, in a porous and shallow aquifers a probe was installed in several mountain springs sites in SW Alps in the Aosta Valley region (Italy). The first part of the study was estimate the spring vulnerability. Therefore, we had chosen to calculate it using the VESPA Index and verify this result with the application of time series analysis. The aim of second part is to define a value of spring vulnerability that is more reliable with the hypothesis deriving from the results given from the time series analysis. So a new approach that combine the results given from the application of the VESPA index and the time series analysis was define. Finally an evaluation of how the climatic variations affect the vulnerability assessment obtained with the method was made. This new approach aim to supports the efforts of authorities in developing efficient strategies for a sustainable groundwater resources management