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Inland and Coastal Karst Aquifers: Functioning, Monitoring and Management

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A special issue of Geosciences (ISSN 2076-3263). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydrogeology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2018) | Viewed by 53859

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria Dolores Fidelibus

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil, Environmental, Land, Building Engineering and Chemistry (DICATECh), Polytechnic University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy
Interests: hydrogeology; karst; hard rocks; karst geomorphology; coastal aquifers; natural tracers; mass transport; contaminated sites; ground water monitoring; submarine springs

Prof. Dr. Antonio Pulido Bosch

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Guest Editor

University of Almeria, 04120 Almeria, Spain
Interests: geology; hydrogeology; hydrogeochemistry; karst aquifers; coastal aquifers

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The special issue is addressed to either inland or coastal karst aquifers. They are both complex systems, but in the coastal ones the complexity of the variable-density flow joins to the complexity of the intrinsic features of the karst medium. In the karst aquifers located in areas with a climate that favours the human life the pressure exerted by an increasing demography and related activities (particularly the agriculture) involves a high (and growing) water-demand, which has frequently scarce chances to be satisfied due to the low natural availability conditions. Thus, water resources are subject to a perennial hydrological stress, along with pollution and, in coastal aquifers, also seawater intrusion/salinization. Compared to other aquifers, fresh waters of karst aquifers are of excellent quality for drinking purposes, thus deserving high attention: in many regions they represent the unique source not only for supporting the potable sector, but also the ecosystem services and the human activities.

The intrinsic features of karst aquifers and, for the coastal ones, the peculiar border conditions, make surely difficult to define their functioning and their vulnerability (which for coastal aquifers, is a 3D vulnerability), the rules for their management, as well as the future of water resources ensuing the climate change (and sea level rise).

The issue welcomes new insights and research innovations on both inland and coastal karst aquifers.

Tentative topics, however partial, are: measuring, monitoring and modelling approaches; role of faults; fractures and karst forms in pollutant transport and/or salinization; intrinsic vulnerability and vulnerability to salinization; relation of karst ground waters with groundwater dependent ecosystems; chemical processes at the land-sea interface and submarine groundwater discharge (its assessment and effects on the marine environment); chemical processes in the mixing zone in relation to tides and sea level change; direct, proxy or remote control of seawater intrusion/salinization; genesis and exploitation of submarine springs; management approaches involving technical and social dimensions.

Prof. M. Dolores Fidelibus
Prof. Antonio Pulido Bosch
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Karst aquifer
Karst coastal aquifer
Seawater intrusion
Anisotropy
SGWD
Groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDE)
Monitoring
Modelling
Groundwater management

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 7728 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaporite Dissolution Rate through an on-site Experiment into Piezometric Tubes Applied to the Real Case-Study of Quinis (NE Italy)

by Chiara Calligaris, Lisa Ghezzi, Riccardo Petrini, Davide Lenaz and Luca Zini

Geosciences 2019, 9(7), 298; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences9070298 - 8 Jul 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3605

Abstract

The present paper deals with a field experiments on evaporite rock samples and groundwater investigations in the Quinis test site, a hamlet of the Enemonzo municipality in NE Italy, were sinkholes occurred in the past and are still occurring causing severe damage to the existing infrastructures. The area is characterised by a Carnian evaporitic bedrock made of gypsum and anhydrite mantled by alluvial and colluvial deposits. In order to evaluate the loss of weight and volume of the subcropping evaporites as responsible for sinkholes, a field-experiment was carried out. Inside seven piezometers, at different depths, evaporitic rock samples were exposed to the naturally occurring variable climatic conditions such as degree of humidity, different air flow and hydrodynamic. The rock samples were installed at the beginning of April 2017 in the dry sections of piezometric tubes, in the vadose zone and in the phreatic zone. Data related to water level fluctuations were recorded by using data-logger devices and highlight significant changes in the water table. After 13 months of data recording (May 2018), rock samples were removed, reweighted and the volume loss measured. In addition, water from piezometer-experiment, representative of the groundwater circulation, were collected at different depths. The obtained results indicate that rock sample reduction is dependent on the hydrological regime and water chemistry and not on the number of days during which the samples remained submersed. In particular, the water geochemistry highlights the possible role in gypsum/anhydrite dissolution due to NaCl water admixing in a complex scenario. In additional, the geochemical data highlight the occurrence of some potentially toxic elements (As, Fe, Mn) at concentrations of concern in some water. This approach represents a novel contribution in the study of karst hazard in evaporites adding a tile to the knowledge of the fast evolutionary processes which cause sinkhole formation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inland and Coastal Karst Aquifers: Functioning, Monitoring and Management)

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15 pages, 24737 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cross-Correlation and Cross-Spectral Analysis of the Hydrographs in the Northern Part of the Dinaric Karst of Croatia

by Krešimir Pavlić and Jelena Parlov

Geosciences 2019, 9(2), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences9020086 - 13 Feb 2019

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5185

Abstract

Correlation and cross-spectral analysis of hydrographs was performed on the karst area of the mountainous section of the Kupa River in two time periods. Since there are karst aquifers in this area that is a part of strategic groundwater reserves of potable water, such an analysis could give better insight into the behavior of these aquifers. The functions used to describe karst aquifers are the cross-correlation function, coherence function, gain function, and phase function. The outcomes of the analysis results were very similar in the two analyzed periods, suggesting that differences in input signals between these two periods do not affect the aquifer function as a system filter. The results of this research suggest that the aquifer and overburden layer characteristics have a much stronger influence than the change of input signal on the runoff regime in the considered period. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inland and Coastal Karst Aquifers: Functioning, Monitoring and Management)

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22 pages, 3332 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Groundwater Temperature as an Indicator of the Vulnerability of Karst Coastal Aquifers

by Maria Dolores Fidelibus and Antonio Pulido-Bosch

Geosciences 2019, 9(1), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences9010023 - 30 Dec 2018

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5573

Abstract

Coastal karst aquifers show a three-dimensional vulnerability, which consists of the whole of the “intrinsic vulnerability” and the “groundwater vulnerability to seawater intrusion”. The results of a study carried out in the Salento karst coastal aquifer (southern Italy) show that temperature, as well as being a reliable tracer of groundwater flow, is also an effective indicator of vulnerability in anisotropic media. The trend of isotherms related to a cross-section of the aquifer thermal field, combined with geological, geomorphological, and hydrogeological information, allows the role of faults and dolines in the mass transport from ground surface to be inferred. Isotherm trends may also give information on the permeability distribution along faults. A specific temperature value evidence the saltwater top, thus indicating the groundwater vulnerability to salinization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inland and Coastal Karst Aquifers: Functioning, Monitoring and Management)

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18 pages, 11695 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhanced Characterization of the Krania–Elassona Structure and Functioning Allogenic Karst Aquifer in Central Greece

by Antonios Manakos, Maria Margarita Ntona, Nerantzis Kazakis and Konstantinos Chalikakis

Geosciences 2019, 9(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences9010015 - 27 Dec 2018

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3469

Abstract

The present study highlights the importance of geological, hydrogeological, and hydrogeochemical characterization of a karst aquifer in building a conceptual model of the system. The karst system of Krania–Elassona in central Greece was chosen for this application. Hydrogeological research included geological mapping and hydrogeological analysis. Additionally, hydrochemical analysis of water samples was performed in boreholes, rivers, and the system’s main spring. The Krania–Elassona aquifer consists of three horizons of marbles and is characterized by mature karstification. The karst aquifer is characterized by allogenic recharge mainly from the River Deskatis that accounts for up to 92% of the total flow. Groundwater and spring water are generally characterized as good quality and are suitable for irrigation and domestic use. The water type of the spring water is classified as Mg-HCO₃. The application of a SARIMA (Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Model) model verified the conceptual model and successfully simulated spring discharge for a two-year period. The results of this study highlight the importance of basic hydrogeological research and the initial conceptualization of karst systems in reliably assessing groundwater vulnerability and modeling. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inland and Coastal Karst Aquifers: Functioning, Monitoring and Management)

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14 pages, 3438 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hellenic Karst Aquifers Vulnerability Approach Using Factor Analysis: The Example of the Louros Karst Aquifers

by Konstantina Katsanou

Geosciences 2018, 8(11), 417; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8110417 - 13 Nov 2018

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3464

Abstract

The karst aquifers of the Hellenic territory display high vulnerability that is related to the existence of the epikarst zone. If present, the epikarst zone regulates the vertical movement of the groundwater, which results in the chemical pollutants staying longer within it, thus facilitating the inactivation of the microbial loads. The Hellenic karst is well developed; it displays high hydraulic conductivity, relatively large storage, and the characteristics of an important water reservoir. Although its porosity was calculated to be between 0.005–8%, the statistical processing of the springs’ discharge time series points to an increased storage. The increased storage was attributed to the presence of the epikarst zone, which regulates the water movement to the underlying formations, and finally to its discharge from the karst system through springs. In these areas, the influence of nitrogen compounds on the water quality is evident. The presence of cyanobacteria and toxic substances at concentrations that are too high for fresh, flowing waters whose temperature does not exceed 17 °C advocates the role of nutrients, even at concentrations that do not exceed the maximum permissible limits of drinking water. In mountainous areas, where agriculture is limited, the presence of these compounds is attributed to heavily polluting land uses. The impact of such uses became apparent from the application of factor analysis, which not only highlighted their contribution to the overall groundwater quality, but also determined their geographical distribution and origin. From the above, it becomes evident that there is a need for protection of the karst aquifers, and investigation of their vulnerability mechanisms. The Hellenic karst, which is expected to cover the drinking water needs in the near future, proves to be very vulnerable to any kind of pollution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inland and Coastal Karst Aquifers: Functioning, Monitoring and Management)

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15 pages, 3534 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identifying Karst Aquifer Recharge Areas using Environmental Isotopes: A Case Study in Central Italy

by Giuseppe Sappa, Stefania Vitale and Flavia Ferranti

Geosciences 2018, 8(9), 351; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8090351 - 15 Sep 2018

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4539

Abstract

Water resources management is one of the most important challenges worldwide because water represents a vital resource for sustaining life and the environment. With the aim of sustainable groundwater management, the identification of aquifer recharge areas is a useful tool for water resources protection. In a well-developed karst aquifer, environmental isotopes provide support for identifying aquifer recharge areas, residence time and interconnections between aquifer systems. This study deals with the use of environmental isotopes to identify the main recharge area of a karst aquifer in the Upper Valley of Aniene River (Central Italy). The analysis of ¹⁸O/¹⁶O and ²H/H values and their spatial distribution make it possible to trace back groundwater recharge areas based on average isotope elevations. The Inverse Hydrogeological Balance Method was used to validate spring recharge elevations obtained by the use of stable isotopes. Areas impacted by direct and rapid rainfall recharge into the study area were delineated, showing groundwater flowpaths from the boundaries to the core of the aquifer. The results of this study demonstrate the contribution that spatial and temporal isotope changes can provide to the identification of groundwater flowpaths in a karst basin, taking into account the hydrogeological setting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inland and Coastal Karst Aquifers: Functioning, Monitoring and Management)

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12 pages, 3174 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Specific Yield in Karstified Fractured Rock through the Water-Budget Method

by Marco Delle Rose, Corrado Fidelibus and Paolo Martano

Geosciences 2018, 8(9), 344; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8090344 - 11 Sep 2018

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3965

Abstract

In this note, the Water Budget Method (WBM) is applied to estimate local values of the specific yield of the deep karst aquifer of Salento peninsula. A selection in a period of two years of relevant short precipitation events has been considered and the related localized recharges have been compared to the water table fluctuations measured at two selected wells. The recharge amounts have been corrected by using data of evapotranspiration and soil water storage available from a micrometeorological base. The results are very similar for both the wells and more consistent when the corrections are applied. A discussion involving frequency and apertures of the fractures in the rock mass of the aquifer suggests the effect of the karst dissolution to be dominant in determining these values of the specific yield. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inland and Coastal Karst Aquifers: Functioning, Monitoring and Management)

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25 pages, 4807 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Groundwater Characterization by Means of Conservative (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) and Non-Conservative (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) Isotopic Values: The Classical Karst Region Aquifer Case (Italy–Slovenia)

by Chiara Calligaris, Kim Mezga, Francesca Federica Slejko, Janko Urbanc and Luca Zini

Geosciences 2018, 8(9), 321; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8090321 - 28 Aug 2018

Cited by 38 | Viewed by 6142

Abstract

The study of the different hydrogeological compartments is a prerequisite for understanding and monitoring different fluxes, thereby evaluating the environmental changes in an ecosystem where anthropogenic disturbances are present in order to preserve the most vulnerable groundwaters from contamination and degradation. In many karst domains in the Mediterranean, areas groundwaters and surface waters are a single system, as a result of the features that facilitate the ingression of waters from surface to subsurface. This is also the case for the Classical Karst hydrostructure, which is a carbonate plateau that rises above the northern Adriatic Sea, shared between Italy and Slovenia. The main suppliers to the aquifer are the effective precipitations and the waters from three different rivers: Reka/Timavo, Soča/Isonzo and Vipava/Vipacco. Past and ongoing hydrogeological studies on the area have focused on the connections within the Classical Karst Region aquifer system through the analysis of water caves and springs hydrographs and chemographs. In this paper, the authors present new combined data from major ions, oxygen, hydrogen and strontium stable and radiogenic isotopes which have allowed a more complementary knowledge of the groundwater circulation, provenance and water-rock interactions. All the actions occurred in the framework of the European project HYDROKARST. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inland and Coastal Karst Aquifers: Functioning, Monitoring and Management)

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25 pages, 6306 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diffuse Versus Conduit Flow in Coastal Karst Aquifers: The Consequences of Island Area and Perimeter Relationships

by Erik B. Larson and John E. Mylroie

Geosciences 2018, 8(7), 268; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8070268 - 20 Jul 2018

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5329

Abstract

The majority of limestone islands are made of eogenetic carbonate rock, with intrinsic high porosity and permeability. The freshwater lenses of small islands are dominated by diffuse flow regimes as the island perimeter is everywhere close to the meteoric catchment of the island interior. This flow regime produces flank margin caves at the lens margin, where dissolution is enhanced by mixing corrosion, superposition of organic decay horizons and higher flow velocities as the lens thins. The lens interior develops touching-vug flow systems that result in enhanced permeability and lens thinning over time. As islands become larger, the area (meteoric catchment) goes up by the square, but the island perimeter (discharge zone) goes up linearly; diffuse flow becomes inefficient; conduit flow develops to produce traditional epigenic cave systems that discharge the freshwater lens by specific turbulent flow routes, which in turn are fed by diffuse flow in the island interior. Locally, diffuse flow to the island perimeter continues in coastal proximal areas between major conduit flow routes to produce flank margin caves. The Bahamian Archipelago represents a case history in which tectonics is limited, the rocks are entirely eogenetic and the diffuse to conduit flow transition is demonstrated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inland and Coastal Karst Aquifers: Functioning, Monitoring and Management)

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22 pages, 6625 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Geophysical Input to Improve the Conceptual Model of the Hydrogeological Framework of a Coastal Karstic Aquifer: Uley South Basin, South Australia

by Nara Somaratne, Glyn Ashman, Michelle Irvine and Simon Mann

Geosciences 2018, 8(7), 226; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8070226 - 21 Jun 2018

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4465

Abstract

A lack of closely spaced datasets on layer elevations, aquifer parameters, identification of areas with high recharge potential, dominant conduit porosity zones, and well defined boundary conditions hampers the ability of groundwater models to produce a reliable water balance. Typically, geological structure, aquifer properties, and groundwater heads are obtained from point measurements which are sparse. The drillhole information in aquifers is usually available at locations far apart, distances ranging from hundreds to thousands of meters. Furthermore, pump tests are usually conducted at limited locations and generalized to the aquifer. This limited knowledge leads to errors in the conceptual understanding of the aquifer. In this study, Airborne Electromagnetic Survey (AEM) was used to define base elevations of the aquifers where drillhole information was lacking. Surface Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (sNMR), borehole NMR, Transient Electromagnetic (TEM), and downhole geophysical surveys have given new insight to the conceptualization of hydrogeological framework. These methods are relatively low in cost compared to traditional well drilling and provide information on layer elevations, aquifer parameters, point and diffuse recharge zones, and conduit porosity zones in the profile, which improves our definition of the boundary conditions. From a practical point of view, combining drillhole information with a variety of geophysical techniques provides sound datasets to develop a comprehensive conceptual model. This in turn can be used to build a robust groundwater model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inland and Coastal Karst Aquifers: Functioning, Monitoring and Management)

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Review

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12 pages, 3253 KiB

Open AccessReview

Coastal Karst Groundwater in the Mediterranean: A Resource to Be Preferably Exploited Onshore, Not from Karst Submarine Springs

by Michel Bakalowicz

Geosciences 2018, 8(7), 258; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8070258 - 11 Jul 2018

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 7055

Abstract

Coastal karst aquifers are common in the Mediterranean basin. With their significant potential storage capacity, they are an attractive groundwater resource in areas where the water demand is the most important. They discharge either at the coastal zone or directly into the sea at karst submarine springs (KSMS). Decision makers take an interest in this unconventional groundwater resource and are convinced by companies and research consultancies that KSMS’s should be exploited because they would discharge huge amount of fresh water. Being now well documented, the occurrence of KSMS’s along the Mediterranean coast is discussed in the light of recent geological history favourable to the development of karst. Conduit flow conditions are common, inherited from an intense phase of karstification during the Messinian Crisis of Salinity at the end of Miocene, when the sea level was 1500 to 2500 m below present sea level. From investigations carried out along the coasts of France and the Levant, compared with studies done along other Mediterranean coastlines, it appears that capturing groundwater discharged at KSMS raises different problems which make the operation dicey and expansive. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inland and Coastal Karst Aquifers: Functioning, Monitoring and Management)

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