Search Results (27)

In complex hydrogeological systems, such as multilayered aquifers in densely urbanized coastal areas, multi-parametric, multi-depth networks are required for discriminating between anthropogenic and natural signals. This study presents an evaluation protocol of a pre-existing piezometric network, composed of 66 piezometers, aimed at implementing a near real-time (NRTM) hydrogeochemical monitoring system in the Strait of Messina (Sicily, Italy) area. A rigorous selection process was conducted to determine the suitability of these sites for hosting permanent, above-ground instrumentation. After excluding 55 sites for logistical and administrative reasons, the remaining piezometers were evaluated through a multi-step protocol. Video inspections and vertical logs of temperature and electric conductivity were carried out to identify pipe integrity and screened sections. Water samples were collected, for the execution of geochemical and isotopic analyses, to distinguish between groundwater bodies and stagnant water or local infiltration. Finally, preliminary near real-time monitoring of water level and temperature assessed the response of the sites to hydrological cycles and tidal effects. A scoring system was applied to rank the sites, resulting in a priority list for the installation of the permanent monitoring network. The evaluation protocol was tested in the Strait of Messina, but it is based on a generical approach, independent of the specific setting of a study area, making it suitable for general applications worldwide. Full article

Sustainable groundwater management in regions subjected to intensive agricultural pressure requires reliable simulation tools capable of anticipating the impacts of climate change. However, in overexploited multilayer aquifers such as Tierra del Vino, locally calibrated predictive tools capable of quantifying climate-driven piezometric decline remain scarce. This study develops a numerical groundwater flow model using MODFLOW for the Tierra del Vino aquifer (Spain), a multilayer detrital system currently characterized by a critical quantitative status. Agricultural irrigation accounts for approximately 94% of total groundwater withdrawals, making it the dominant anthropogenic pressure on the system. The model was manually calibrated through more than 500 iterations, achieving a consistent representation of groundwater dynamics. Statistical evaluation based on groundwater level data from 34 piezometric monitoring points distributed across the aquifer yielded a good fit (NSE = 0.816; R = 0.928), supporting the suitability of the model for scenario analysis. Under the RCP 8.5 climate scenario, aquifer recharge could decrease by 31.75%, resulting in a significant piezometric decline within the system. At the representative well selected for the farm-scale agricultural impact analysis, this decline reaches 3.33 m and is used to evaluate its effect on pumping energy costs. The implementation of management measures proposed by the water authority reduces this decline to 1.84 m, although overexploitation conditions persist. These results indicate that current administrative restrictions are insufficient on their own and that future management should adjust abstraction rights to projected recharge conditions, maintaining the exploitation index below 0.8 to reduce the risk of long-term overexploitation. In this context, aquifer resilience is interpreted as the capacity of the groundwater system to respond to the combined pressures of climate change and agricultural abstraction while maintaining its hydrological functioning. Full article

A widely reproduced error in hydrogeologic maps originated from a provisional delineation drawn in the mid-1990s to depict the southern extent of the Mesilla Bolson aquifer along the western margin of the El Paso–Juárez metropolitan area. The delineation was created solely to satisfy a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contractual milestone during early binational groundwater inventory efforts and was never intended to represent a final hydrogeologic basin limit. Nevertheless, the outline persisted, became institutionalized in reports, models, management documents, and public imagery, and was ultimately labeled the “Mesilla/Conejos–Médanos Basin Transboundary Aquifer,” where it continues to be treated as a valid transboundary aquifer delineation. This paper documents the origin of the provisional delineation and proposes a revised delineation for the Mesilla/Conejos–Médanos Basin Transboundary Aquifer, based on internationally recognized definitions of transboundary aquifers and groundwater basins, including United Nations frameworks, and established scientific criteria. These criteria include basin-scale geologic and structural controls, hydrostratigraphic continuity, groundwater divides, and permeability contrasts at basin interfaces. Results indicate that the newly defined aquifer delineation falls within Mexico’s much larger administrative Acuífero Conejos–Médanos (0823), a unit that represents groundwater management jurisdiction in Mexico rather than solely a hydrogeologic basin. The proposed transboundary aquifer is defined on hydrogeological principles and does not coincide with either the administrative unit of Mexico or the historic provisional outline that has become widely used by multiple binational entities and by different experts in groundwater science. Full article

Groundwater characterization is seldom performed in countries with limited infrastructure and resources. A short-term solution is to use numerical simulation to study groundwater using the limited available data. We developed a GIS-integrated groundwater flow scheme based on the finite-difference method to numerically simulate flow using surface geological information. We performed groundwater simulations, using homogeneous and heterogeneous media to evaluate flow changes resulting from heterogeneities. The results show flow barriers in low hydraulic-conductivity zones that coincide with the administrative boundaries of the aquifer; however, in high hydraulic-conductivity zones, the administrative aquifer boundaries do not match the geological limits of the aquifer. This finding gives insight into reconsidering the boundaries of some aquifers in the region for their sustainability, with an integral understanding of groundwater. Full article

Snowmelt recharge critically affects water table fluctuations in cold-region unconfined aquifers, where it serves as a primary source of groundwater. This study investigates the temporal and spatial variations in water table responses to snowmelt events in the Oakes Aquifer, North Dakota. Climatic data, including winter snowfall and temperature, were collected from the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN), as well as the National Weather Service (NWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stations. Observation well data (1991–2023) were analyzed, and Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation in ArcGIS Pro 3.6 was used to generate continuous spatial maps of groundwater level rises during spring. Results indicate that snowmelt significantly drives water table fluctuations, with higher snowfall associated with larger rises. Spatial variability in responses reflects differences in soil permeability, and land cover, with high-permeability soils showing more pronounced increases. Temperature strongly influenced the magnitude of snowmelt-induced groundwater rise, with warmer winters generally associated with greater recharge, while colder periods limited infiltration, likely due to frozen soil effects. These findings underscore the role of snowmelt as a key recharge source in cold-region unconfined aquifers, with variations controlled by local hydrogeological and climatic conditions. Understanding these dynamics is critical for groundwater management, particularly under changing climate scenarios. Future studies should focus on long-term monitoring, climate modeling, and cross-regional comparisons to improve predictions of snowmelt-driven recharge. Full article

In the arid and semi-arid climate of Southern Kazakhstan, groundwater is the primary and most resilient source of water for pasture irrigation. This study provides an integrated assessment of the predicted, natural, and operational groundwater resources across five administrative regions—Almaty, Zhetysu, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda, and Turkestan—considering water quality (total dissolved solids, TDS), potential well yield, and aquifer depth. Hydrogeological maps at 1:200,000 and 1:1,000,000 scales, a regional well inventory, and GIS-based spatial analysis were combined to classify resource availability and identify surplus and deficit zones. Results show that 92.5% of predicted exploitable resources (totaling 1155.2 m³/s) have TDS ≤ 3 g/L, making them suitable for domestic and livestock use. Regional disparities are pronounced: Zhetysu, Almaty, and Zhambyl exhibit resource surpluses, Kyzylorda approaches balance, while Turkestan faces a marked deficit. The developed groundwater availability map integrates mineralization, well productivity, and recommended drilling depth, enabling the design of water intake systems without costly field exploration. This decision-support tool has practical value for optimizing water allocation, reducing operational costs, and improving the sustainability of pasture management under the constraints of limited surface water resources. Full article

Stream–aquifer interactions, as well as surface water/groundwater interactions within wetlands, require a solution of complex partial differential equations of flow and contaminant transport, namely a deterministic approach. Groundwater level (GWL) responses to precipitation, particularly for extreme value events such as annual maxima, require a probabilistic approach to evaluate potential climate trends. It is commonly assumed that the distribution of annual maxima series (AMS) precipitation follows the generalized extreme value distribution (GEV). If the extremes of the data are nonstationary, it is possible to incorporate this knowledge into the parameters of the GEV. This approach is also applied to the computed annual maxima of daily groundwater level data. Nonstationary versus stationary time series for both groundwater level and AMS 24-h duration precipitation are compared for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stations with nearby wells. Predicted extreme value analysis (EVA) climate trends for wells penetrating limestone aquifers directly beneath rainfall monitoring stations at major airports indicate similar GWL response. Groundwater levels at wells located near coastlines are partially impacted by sea level rise. An extreme value analysis of the GWL is shown to be a useful tool to confirm hydrologic connections and long-term climate trends. Full article

With increasing urbanization and industrialization, soil and forest resources are facing considerable pressure, as well as the demand for water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial activities. Therefore, it is essential to conduct regular assessments of water quality and ensure that water is consistently maintained in the context of ecosystem services (ESs). Our objective was to apply the driving forces–pressures–state–impacts–responses (DPSIR) model to understand the cause–effect relationships and interactions with anthropogenic pressures on deforestation and water quality in the Talgua River watershed and associated valley and plain areas in central-eastern Honduras. Physicochemical and microbiological analyses were conducted to determine the water quality index (NSF–WQI) and other contamination indexes. The results identified high contamination by coliforms, up to 920.00 NPM/100 mL, and high levels of contamination by organic matter (ICOMO, 0.65), solids (ICOSUS, 0.79), mineralization (ICOMI, 0.99), and the presence of bacteria (BPI, 8.50), as well as the development of eutrophication processes (ICOTRO), resulting in generally low water quality. These problems were caused by the socio-demographic and economic growth of the area, as well as the high demand for water, vulnerability to climate change, and intense agro-livestock and industrial activity, which led to deforestation processes, changes in land use, and contamination of natural water bodies that impacted the overexploitation of aquifers. After applying the DPSIR model, strategies are proposed for the management and administration of the watershed aimed at preserving the water, soils, and forest resources, while promoting stakeholder, business, education sector, and public administration participation. Full article

Energy, gases, and solids in underground sites are stored in mining excavations, natural caverns, salt caverns, and in the pore spaces of rock formations. Aquifer formations are mainly isolated aquifers with significant spreading, permeability, and thickness, possessing highly mineralized non-potable waters. This study discusses the most important aspects that determine the storage of natural gas, hydrogen, or carbon dioxide in deep aquifers. In particular, the selection and characterization of the structure chosen for underground storage, the storage capacity, and the safety of the process are considered. The choice of underground sites is made on the basis of the following factors and criteria: geological, technical, economic, environmental, social, political, or administrative–legal. The geological and dynamic model of the storage site is then drawn based on the characteristics of the structure. Another important factor in choosing a structure for the storage of natural gas, hydrogen, or carbon dioxide is its capacity. In addition to the type and dimensions of the structure and the petrophysical parameters of the reservoir rock, the storage capacity is influenced by the properties of the stored gases and the operating parameters of the storage facility. Underground gas storage is a process fraught with natural and technical hazards. Therefore, the geological integrity of the structure under consideration should be documented and verified. This article also presents an analysis of the location and the basic parameters of gas storage and carbon dioxide storage facilities currently operating in underground aquifers. To date, there have been no successful attempts to store hydrogen under analogous conditions. This is mainly due to the parameters of this gas, which are associated with high requirements for its storage. Full article

The governance model established in Chilean water law delegates responsibility for groundwater management to private water rights owners. The Copiapó aquifer in the Atacama Region, Chile, has problems of overexploitation resulting from intensive use of the resource. This is explained by the limited information on the water availability in the aquifer and the existence of legally granted water rights whose flows exceed the rate of natural recharge. In this context, water users formed Chile’s first groundwater users’ community in the Copiapó basin for the collective administration of the aquifer. Although this organization is regulated by Chilean water law, the way in which its members participate in decision-making processes and some self-management mechanisms that they have implemented are local institutional arrangements that go beyond the rules established in the Water Code, showing this organization to be an empirical case of institutional adaptation to the overdepletion of an aquifer. The local institutional arrangements include incorporating environmental protection objectives for aquifers and wetlands, establishing an institutional arrangement that guarantees the participation in the decision-making processes of different water uses and users, developing an internal management model that promotes temporary transfers of partial volumes of a water right and carrying out studies to improve water management. Full article

Integrated solutions to groundwater management problems require effective analysis of stream-aquifer connections, especially in irrigated semi-arid regions where groundwater pumping affects return flows and causes streamflow depletion. Scientific research can explain technical issues, but legal and management solutions are difficult due to the complexities of hydrogeology, the expense of data collection and model studies, and the inclination of water users not to trust experts, regulatory authorities, and in some cases, their management organizations. The technical, legal, and management issues are reviewed, and experiences with integrated management of stream-aquifer systems are used to illustrate how governance authorities can approach engineering, legal, regulatory, and management challenges incrementally. The situations in three basins of the State of Colorado with over-appropriated water resources are explained to identify modeling and control issues confronting regulators and managers of water rights. Water rights administration in the state follows the strict appropriation method and a workable technical-legal approach to establishing regulatory and management strategies has been developed. The explanations show how models and data management are improving, but the complexities of hydrogeology and institutional systems must be confronted on a case-by-case basis. Stream-aquifer systems will require more attention in the future, better data will be needed, model developers must prove superiority over simpler methods, and organizational arrangements will be needed to facilitate successful collective action amidst inevitable legal challenges. Continued joint research between technical, legal, and management communities will also be needed. Full article

Hydrogeological maps must synthesize scientific knowledge about the hydraulic features and the hydrogeological behavior of a specific area, and, at the same time, they must meet the expectations of land planners and administrators. Thus, hydrogeological maps can be fully effective when they are purpose-designed, especially in complex interconnected systems. In this case study, purpose-designed graphical solutions emphasize all the hydraulic interconnections that play significant roles in recharging the multilayered alluvial aquifer, where the majority of wells have been drilled for human purposes, artificial channels are used for agricultural purposes, and the shallow groundwater feeds protected groundwater-dependent ecosystems. The hydrogeological map was then designed to be the synthesis of three different and hydraulically interconnected main contexts: (i) the alluvial aquifer, (ii) the hydrographic basin of the Taro losing river, and (iii) those hard-rock aquifers whose springs feed the same river. The main hydrogeological map was integrated with two smaller sketches and one hydrogeological profile. One small map was drawn from a modeling perspective because it facilitates visualization of the alluvial aquifer bottom and the “no-flow boundaries.” The other small sketch shows the artificial channel network that emphasizes the hydraulic connection between water courses and groundwater within the alluvial aquifer. The hydrogeological profile was reconstructed to be able to (i) show the main heterogeneities within the aquifer system (both layered and discontinuous), (ii) visualize the coexistence of shallower and deeper groundwater, (iii) emphasize the hydraulic interconnections between subsystems, and (iv) suggest the coexistence of groundwater pathways with different mean residence times. Full article

Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)-derived groundwater storage anomalies (GWSA) have been used to highlight groundwater depletion in regional aquifer systems worldwide. However, the use of GRACE products in smaller areas is limited owing to the coarse spatial resolution of the data product. This study utilized a dynamic downscaling method to improve the GWSA resolution from 1° to 0.05° by constructing a groundwater storage numerical model in the Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei regions of China (BTH). The results indicate that: (1) the GRACE-derived and calculated GWSA had a good match with an average root mean squared error (RMSE) of 2.61 cm equivalent water height (EWH) and an average Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE) of 0.84 for the calibration period. (2) The hydraulic gradient coefficient and specific yield had the highest sensitivity, and transmissivity had the lowest sensitivity; however, different forcing data had no obvious influence on the GWSA. (3) The downscaled results not only exhibited time series variations that were consistent with those of the GRACE-derived solutions but also revealed a finer spatial heterogeneity of the GWSA along with increasing correlation coefficients between the GRACE-derived GWSA and the in situ measurements of groundwater levels by 0.06 and reducing the RMSE by 8.85%. (4) The downscaled results reflected the spatiotemporal change characteristics of groundwater storage in different hydrogeological units and administrative regions well. This study demonstrates the potential applications of the proposed downscaling method for both regional and local groundwater resource management. Full article

Governing and managing the allocation and use of freshwater has always been a complex and fraught undertaking. The challenges to effective and equitable management have been exacerbated by rising pressures on supplies caused by such drivers as population growth, urbanization and climate change. Moreover, vast quantities of water straddle international and other boundaries—four-fifths of the world’s largest river basins and hundreds of aquifers span such borders. This further complicates management and governance, which is subject to disparate legal, political, administrative, financial, cultural and diplomatic conditions. Recognition in the literature and in practice of ‘transboundariness’ dates to the 1970s and has grown since. The authors trace the evolution of transboundary water scholarship and identify five framings used in transboundary water governance and management: conflict and cooperation; hydropolitics; hydrodiplomacy; scale; and disciplinary approaches. Transboundary water management initiatives can be viewed through three broad strands: interventions, advancements in governance strategies and democratization of data and information for strengthening science–policy interaction. The authors close with a discussion of future directions for transboundary water governance and management, emphasizing the need for additional research on how to deal with climate-related and other mounting challenges. Full article

Solar energy (SE) is essential for the decarbonization of our economy and for energetic transition. Solar energy can be a sustainable economic activity, as long as a balance is struck between the benefits it brings to climate change mitigation and the damage it can cause to biodiversity and ecosystems. Here, we study this balance in an area with high biodiversity under pressure for installation of numerous photovoltaic plants (PPs). Our results show that developers give priority to the cheapest land close to connection points, while other values (e.g., environmental, landscape) are secondary. The regulatory process carried out by the Administration does not ensure the preservation of natural values, as several PPs with a high impact on important conservation areas have been approved. Experts’ allegations provide quality information to the Administration to evaluate and demand changes to the projects presented. Such demands show that companies are willing to relocate plants to land occupied by olive groves. In this way, greater efficiency is achieved in land occupation, as well as shorter evacuation lines, water savings and a smaller environmental impact. Prior strategic territorial planning could have avoided the impact of PPs already built, made the deployment of new PPs compatible with biodiversity conservation, and contributed to improving the management of key resources, such as subway aquifers. The proposed regulatory changes to the environmental assessment procedure (exclusion of renewables and public participation from the procedure) are detrimental, as they will make SE unable to meet the requirements of the Taxonomy Regulation. Full article