Natural waters contain dissolved minerals from interactions with atmospheric and soil gases, mixing with other solutions, and/or interactions with the biosphere and lithosphere. In many cases, these processes result in natural waters containing solute or salinity above concentrations recommended for a specified use, which creates significant social and economic problems. Groundwater salinisation can be caused by natural phenomena and anthropogenic activities. For the first case, we can distinguish terrestrial and marine phenomena. Approximately 16% of the total area of continental earth is potentially involved in groundwater salinisation. Seawater intrusion can be considered to be the primary phenomenon for study in terms of groundwater salinisation. There are different measures, actions and practices for managing groundwater when the natural resource is exposed to salinisation. Some of these measures have a mitigation objective. Other measures have a more adaptive approach and accept the high groundwater salinity but adjusting the groundwater use so that it is not harmful. On the basis of worldwide experiences, three different approaches to the protection of groundwater via salinisation mitigation and/or groundwater salinity improvement can be recognised considering the classifications of the salinisation sources and focusing on the effect of seawater intrusion. The paper describes approaches. The complexity of these approaches generally increases due to difficulties caused by groundwater quality and quantity degradation and increased demand for quality water. Moving from the lowest to the highest complexity, these approaches are the engineering approach, the discharge management approach, and the water and land management approach. The engineering approach is realised on the local scale with the purpose of controlling the salinisation, optimising the well discharge with specific technical solutions and/or completing works to improve the quality and/or quantity of the discharged fresh groundwater. The discharge management approach includes a coastal aquifer and defines rules concerning groundwater utilisation and well discharge. The water and land management approach should be applied on the regional scale. This approach becomes necessary when one or more need creates an overall framework of high-quality water scarcity. These conditions, sometimes combined with an awareness of negative environmental effects, force people to accept new water saving practices and land use modifications. As the natural effects of salinisation can be enhanced by a multiplicity of human actions, the discharge management approach and the water and land management approach should generally be applied by water authorities or institutional and governmental organisations that are responsible for groundwater quality and availability.
Overview: management of groundwater at salinisation risk
Polemio;LE
2014
Abstract
Natural waters contain dissolved minerals from interactions with atmospheric and soil gases, mixing with other solutions, and/or interactions with the biosphere and lithosphere. In many cases, these processes result in natural waters containing solute or salinity above concentrations recommended for a specified use, which creates significant social and economic problems. Groundwater salinisation can be caused by natural phenomena and anthropogenic activities. For the first case, we can distinguish terrestrial and marine phenomena. Approximately 16% of the total area of continental earth is potentially involved in groundwater salinisation. Seawater intrusion can be considered to be the primary phenomenon for study in terms of groundwater salinisation. There are different measures, actions and practices for managing groundwater when the natural resource is exposed to salinisation. Some of these measures have a mitigation objective. Other measures have a more adaptive approach and accept the high groundwater salinity but adjusting the groundwater use so that it is not harmful. On the basis of worldwide experiences, three different approaches to the protection of groundwater via salinisation mitigation and/or groundwater salinity improvement can be recognised considering the classifications of the salinisation sources and focusing on the effect of seawater intrusion. The paper describes approaches. The complexity of these approaches generally increases due to difficulties caused by groundwater quality and quantity degradation and increased demand for quality water. Moving from the lowest to the highest complexity, these approaches are the engineering approach, the discharge management approach, and the water and land management approach. The engineering approach is realised on the local scale with the purpose of controlling the salinisation, optimising the well discharge with specific technical solutions and/or completing works to improve the quality and/or quantity of the discharged fresh groundwater. The discharge management approach includes a coastal aquifer and defines rules concerning groundwater utilisation and well discharge. The water and land management approach should be applied on the regional scale. This approach becomes necessary when one or more need creates an overall framework of high-quality water scarcity. These conditions, sometimes combined with an awareness of negative environmental effects, force people to accept new water saving practices and land use modifications. As the natural effects of salinisation can be enhanced by a multiplicity of human actions, the discharge management approach and the water and land management approach should generally be applied by water authorities or institutional and governmental organisations that are responsible for groundwater quality and availability.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
