A Mathematical Model as a Tool in Supporting Groundwater Management: The Lucca Aquifer, Central Italy

Planning and protection of water resources in a large hydrographic basin is a demanding tasks, to simplify which, the mathematical models can identify in a rational manner the actions to be taken and the procedures to be adopted in order to avoid useless efforts and overlapping (AA.VV., 1990). Mathematical models can be a useful tool to support the Water Authorities to solve problems related to localizing well fields, balancing competing demands, avoiding quality worsening, etc. Groundwater makes up the most important resource in the general basin's context and, particularly in terms of quality, is the main source for drinkable supply. This paper deals with the first results of the application of IASOWlN model to the aquifer of the valley of Lucca, in central Italy, with the purpose to represent the piezometric heads and evaluate the effects of different planning operations. Further investigations are currently underway for assessing the validity of such a procedure in problems related to groundwater pollution and quality deterioration.