Hydrogeology and seawater intrusion proneness in the Metaponto plain aquifer (Basilicata, Italy)

In the Metaponto coastal plain (Basilicata region, southern Italy), the anthropogenic impact, mainly linked to agriculture and tourism, has significantly modified the land use and threatened the groundwater quality over the last century. Five protected sites located near the river mouths are included in the Natura 2000 network thanks to the high ecological value of their flora and fauna. The reduction of the groundwater flow, probably caused by the construction of dams and reservoirs for water storage, threatens the equilibrium of the coastal vegetated areas. Among the effects of groundwater quality modifications, the risk of salinity increase should be considered relevant. The purpose of this paper is to describe the approach, which is preliminary to the density-driven flow modeling, supporting the implementation of management criteria facing seawater intrusion, climate change, and water demand in future scenarios. The definition of an accurate physically-based model is based on the geological and hydrogeological conceptualization and hydrochemical discussion.