Landscape-use optimisation with regards to the groundwater resources protection in mountain hardrock areas, LOWRGREP

Synthesis of work performed during the European Project LOWRGREPThis report assesses the degree of interference of human activities with the hydrosphere in mountain-zones, all located in hard-rock areas of different countries in the European Union. Each of the test-regions has a specific degree of protection: from regions with very few inhabitants and very low human impact, to regions submitted to a strong anthropogenic impact. The investigations focused on the changes in water quality and on the simulation of various alternatives leading to optimum landscape-use from the point of view of water-management. The project's own Geographic Information System was used to fulfil the following objective: present all the obtained knowledge and analyse all the data in user-friendly form (maps of water vulnerability) and make this knowledge available for potential users with, for instance, the creation and use of a web site. A simulation tool has been developed which facilitates the assessment of the impact of landscape-use on the water budget of the catchment. In all the areas investigated chloride is present, only in winter and very close to roads. Another result of this work is the decreasing impact on water of sulphur and sulphuric compounds in Germany and in the Czech Republic, while the nitrogen impact is increasing. Recommendations concerning the landscape-use presented for all the regions in particular for good practices in agricultur

Behaviour of PPCP Substances in a Fluvial Aquifer after Infiltration of Treated Wastewater

One of the reasons for the still prevailing concerns about the recycling of treated wastewater is the low efficiency of current Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) technologies for removing Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCP) substances, especially pharmaceuticals. The goal of this investigation was to verify the behaviour of these substances after infiltration into the fluvial aquifer. During an experiment, this water (containing 45 PPCP substances) was infiltrated using a 10 m deep well for a period of one month. The whole process of infiltration was intensified by pumping at a well in a distance of 52 m. In the surrounding monitoring wells, 113 PPCP substances were monitored at three-day intervals with a detection limit in the order of tens of ng/L. The results showed that 32 PPCP substances were already present in the fluvial aquifer before the start of the infiltration experiment and thus represent “background” values. These substances are the result of river water seepage. The influence of infiltration was manifested by changes in the chemistry of the monitoring wells 8–12 days after the beginning of the experiment. The experiment demonstrated the high natural attenuation capacity of the fluvial aquifer, which eliminated a wide range of PPCP substances to a level below the detection limit

Groundwater Resources Use and Management in the Amu Darya River Basin (Central Asia)

International audienceThis paper analyses groundwater resources use and management in the socio-economic context of the Amu Darya River Basin which covers part of the following landlocked Central Asian countries: Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. These agrarian nations for sustaining their vital agricultural productions started to use groundwater during the recent drought years (1998-2001) because of its relatively good quality and quantity and as an alternative to highly mineralized surface waters. Present extent of groundwater resources use is discussed with consideration to their reserves, quality, and institutional management and transboundary aspects within the basin. After the collapse of the centralized water resources management system and infrastructure of the former Soviet Union, new underdeveloped systems are being practiced over the whole Amu Darya River Basin. The critical situation of groundwater management in Afghanistan is also discussed. The document attempts to document the management and use of groundwater in the Amu Darya Basin and present time management realities, with fragmented and weak national and regional regulation on groundwater. Special attention is given to groundwater resources in irrigated agriculture, which increased use in all countries of the basin is due to quick access to underground resources and relatively good quality and quantity

Insights into palaeorecharge conditions for European deep aquifers

International audienc

Palaeorecharge conditions of the deep aquifers of the Northern Aquitaine region (France)

International audienc