El bosc de Ribera, un medi a preservar

En aquest estudi fem un repás dels diferents tipus de boscos de ribera de les comarques gironines, descrivim els processos fluvio-torrencials que motiven l'acció antrópica i, finalment analitzem el cas concret del riu Onya

Seawater intrusion and coastal groundwater resources management. Examples from two Mediterranean regions: Catalonia and Sardinia

Seawater intrusion is a natural phenomenon that allows the encroachment of saline water into aquifers. Nevertheless, many human actions along the coastline, in particular groundwater withdrawal, enhance this process and finally cause the salinization of groundwater resources. Here we review the hydrogeological basis of seawater intrusion and describe specific cases in Catalonia and Sardinia, as examples of environmental problems and water management actions. We emphasize the origin of salinization and the hydrogeological details of each case, as well as the solutions that have been implemented to prevent groundwater salinization. [Contrib Sci 10:171-184 (2014)

Stratigraphic and structural controls on groundwater flow in an outcropping fossil fan delta: the case of Sant Llorenç del Munt range (NE Spain)

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10040-017-1618-9Hydrogeological models of mountain regions present the opportunity to understand the role of geological factors on groundwater resources. The effects of sedimentary facies and fracture distribution on groundwater flow and resource exploitation are studied in the ancient fan delta of Sant Llorenç de Munt (central Catalonia, Spain) by integrating geological field observations (using sequence stratigraphy methods) and hydrogeological data (pumping tests, hydrochemistry and environmental isotopes). A comprehensive analysis of data portrays the massif as a single unit, constituted by different compartments determined by specific layers and sets of fractures. Two distinct flow systems—local and regional—are identified based on pumping test analysis as well as hydrochemical and isotopic data. Drawdown curves derived from pumping tests indicate that the behavior of the saturated layers, whose main porosity is given by the fracture network, corresponds to a confined aquifer. Pumping tests also reflect a double porosity within the system and the occurrence of impervious boundaries that support a compartmentalized model for the whole aquifer system. Hydrochemical data and associated spatial evolution show the result of water–rock interaction along the flow lines. Concentration of magnesium, derived from dolomite dissolution, is a tracer of the flow-path along distinct stratigraphic units. Water stable isotopes indicate that evaporation (near a 5% loss) occurs in a thick unsaturated zone within the massif before infiltration reaches the water table. The hydrogeological analysis of this outcropping system provides a methodology for the conceptualization of groundwater flow in similar buried systems where logging and hydrogeological information are scarce.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft