A Structural and Geophysical Approach to the Study of Fractured Aquifers in the Scansano-Magliano in Toscana Ridge, Southern Tuscany, Italy

Abstract

Fresh water availability has recently become a serious concern in the Italian Apennines, as various activities rely on a predictable supply. Along the Scansano-Magliano ridge in southern Tuscany the situation is further complicated by contamination of the nearby alluvial aquifers. Aquifers locally consist of thin fractured reservoirs, generally within low-permeability formations, and it can be difficult to plan the exploitation of resources based on conventional techniques. An integrated study based on geological investigate the link between tectonics and groundwater circulation and to better define the hydrological model. After the regional identification of fault and fracture patterns, a major structure was investigated in detail to accurately map its spatial position and to understand the geometry and properties of the associated aquifer and assess its exploitation potential. The subsurface around the fault zone was clearly imaged through Ground Probing Radar, 2D and 3D resistivity tomography, and 3D shallow seismic surveys. The vertical and horizontal contacts between the different geological units of the Ligurian and Tuscan series were resolved with a high degree of spatial accuracy. 3D high-resolution geophysical imaging proved to be a very effective means for characterising small-scale fractured reservoirs