Vulnerability mapping as a tool to foster groundwater protection in areas subject to rapid population expansion: The case study of Abuja Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria)

Study region Abuja Federal Capital Territory (FCT; Nigeria). Study Focus Rapid population growth has led to significant land use changes, with potential negative impacts on groundwater quality. However, the lack of understanding of hydrogeological settings, often due to limited data availability, is one of the main obstacles to sound planning in rapidly changing environments. To assess the specific groundwater vulnerability to nitrate, a DRASTIC-LU model was applied, combining the land use data from the last 20 years with the intrinsic aquifer vulnerability. This study represents the first attempt to assess aquifer vulnerability in the region. New hydrogeological insights for the region Results show that the Abuja FCT has been affected by a dramatic change in land use with an increase in urbanized and agricultural areas and may induce nitrate contamination in groundwater. Currently, several wells in the region are showing nitrate concentrations that exceed the statutory limit for drinking purposes. The comparison of DRASTIC-LU results with nitrate concentrations shows that the highest concentrations are found in urban/peri-urban areas. Although fertilizers are generally considered to be the main source of nitrate contamination, these results suggest a possible mixed (urban and agricultural) pollution origin. This investigation therefore represents a starting point for future nitrate monitoring assessments and for supporting decision makers with adequate information for urban planning in view of the expected population growth in the area

Hydrostructural setting of Riardo Plain: effects on Ferrarelle mineral water type

The exploitation of groundwater resources must always keep in account the geology and hydrogeological settings of the catchment basin for the sustainability of withdrawals, in order not to overexploit the aquifer. Especially, in the case of mineral water extraction, even more attention should be paid to understand what are the water-rock-gases interaction mechanisms, which allow obtaining a specific water chemistry. The case of Ferrarelle mineral water (western sector of Riardo Plain, Caserta) is particularly complex. Through the acquisition of a great amount of former geological and hydrogeological data and by new hydrogeological surveys, it has been possible to distinguish the aquifer levels, distinguishing four circulations over the Roccamonfina Volcano and in the Riardo Plain. The presence of volcanic and volcaniclastic deposits deriving from the Roccamonfina Volcano which cover a highlytectonized carbonate bedrock, allows the formation of two aquifers in hydraulic continuity. This mixing between the two aquifers allows, with the ascent of deep CO2 through faults in the carbonate bedrock, the formation of the typical chemical composition of the mineral water Ferrarelle. In the eastern sector of the plain, it is possible to distinguish the volcanic aquifer from the carbonate one, probably due to the presence of low permeability deposits

Two-dimensional numerical modelling of the Roccamonfina volcanic aquifer to constrain the recharge from deep reservoir

2D model, hydrogeological properties, multilayered volcanic aquifer, inverse modelling calibration, FePest (PEST code)

Recharge process of a dune aquifer (Roman coast, Italy)

The urban development plan of left bank of the Tiber river Delta preserved a 9 km2 stretch of dune belt with a monumental coastal pine forest (Castelfusano forest), which is nowadays portion of a natural reserve managed by Municipality of Rome. The forest was largely destroyed by a first huge fire in July 2000 and by another one in July 2017. A reforestation project involved the installation of a monitoring network composed by 21 piezometers to check the groundwater depth and its degree of salinization after the 2000 fire. By examining series of water head measurements and chemical -physical parameters carried out from 2002 up today, the current research aims to analyse the effects of 2000 and 2017 fires on the recharge process. The first result consists in the definition of the hydrogeological conceptual models of the dune aquifer: a shallow fresh aquifer overlapping two deeper confined salinized aquifers. The comparison between the amount of the yearly recharge, evaluated in different periods, showed a significant recharge rate decrease (about 36%) to be attributed likely at the 2000 fire effect. The research is still ongoing in order to verify and detail the changes of the recharge processes induced by the 2000 and 2017 fires

Sustained post‐seismic effects on groundwater flow in fractured carbonate aquifers in Central Italy

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Geochemical tracers in complex hydrogeological settings: the Roccamonfina volcanic vs. mt. massico sedimentary aquifers (southern Italy)

Volcanic aquifers, sedimentary basins, hydrogeochemistry, hydrogeology, isotopic composition

Discharge variations of springs induced by strong earthquakes: the case of the mw 6.5 Norcia event (Italy, October 30 th 2016)

Earthquakes, dynamic strain, groundwater circulation, structural permeability

Contribution of the Roccamonfina Caldera to the basal volcanic aquifer recharge: first considerations

A preliminary hydrogeological investigation of the Roccamonfina Caldera was conducted in order to increase the local knowledge of the multilayer aquifer hosted within the ignimbrite deposits. Three aquifer levels were distinguished according to stratigraphic data and according to the bottom well depth. The aquifer levels recharge punctual and linear springs with a total natural discharge of about 200 L/s. A preliminary groundwater recharge of about 300 L/s was calculated using the effective infiltration value (368 mm/y) suggested by Boni et al. (1986). A more detailed groundwater budget will be calculated afterwards, using the distributed method. Groundwater effective recharge will be calculated taking into account data about rainfall, land use, runoff and withdrawals value

The experience of ECHN-Italy: the voice of the Italian early career hydrogeologists

Not availabl