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Predicting Salinization Trends in a Lowland Coastal Aquifer: Comacchio (Italy)

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  • Nicolò Colombani
  • Micòl Mastrocicco
  • Beatrice Giambastiani

Abstract

The coastal aquifer salinization is an urgent problem caused by groundwater resources overexploitation and climate change. This phenomenon is enhanced in areas lying below the sea level, like the polders in the Netherlands or the Po River lowland in Italy. In these reclaimed lands the saltwater intrusion is usually controlled by a network of irrigation canals that supplies freshwater to the shallow aquifer, maintaining soil salinity at acceptable levels. The 2012 was dramatic in terms of agricultural water supply, since the Po River plain experienced a prolonged drought. Despite this, continuous monitoring of piezometric heads and total dissolved solids (TDS) near a canal (Canale della Gronda) demonstrated that freshening was occurring in the shallow portion (first 4 m) of the unconfined aquifer, while the bottom part was characterized by elevated relic salinity. The two-dimensional model SEAWAT was calibrated using piezometric heads and TDS depth profiles measured along a transect perpendicular to the canal. The calibrated model was then used to predict the behaviour of this cross section using a multiple scenario approach: increase in evapotranspiration induced by temperature increase; increase in the frequency of extreme high rainfall events; extreme drought conditions; and canal dewatering due to salinization of the water courses. Moreover, for each scenario, two sub-scenarios were run to account for projected sea level rise. The first three scenarios had only a minor influence on the aquifer salinization rate, while the fourth one predicted serious upward flux of the high salinity groundwater actually residing in the bottom of the unconfined aquifer. The scenarios quantified the possible future effects on groundwater salinization and could be useful to find adaptation strategies to manage the water resources of this and similar areas. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolò Colombani & Micòl Mastrocicco & Beatrice Giambastiani, 2015. "Predicting Salinization Trends in a Lowland Coastal Aquifer: Comacchio (Italy)," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(2), pages 603-618, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:29:y:2015:i:2:p:603-618
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-014-0795-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. M. Mastrocicco & B. Giambastiani & P. Severi & N. Colombani, 2012. "The Importance of Data Acquisition Techniques in Saltwater Intrusion Monitoring," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(10), pages 2851-2866, August.
    2. Mastrocicco, M. & Colombani, N. & Salemi, E. & Castaldelli, G., 2010. "Numerical assessment of effective evapotranspiration from maize plots to estimate groundwater recharge in lowlands," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(9), pages 1389-1398, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Valeria Medoro & Giacomo Ferretti & Giulio Galamini & Annalisa Rotondi & Lucia Morrone & Barbara Faccini & Massimo Coltorti, 2022. "Reducing Nitrogen Fertilization in Olive Growing by the Use of Natural Chabazite-Zeolitite as Soil Improver," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-20, September.
    2. Amirhossein Hassani & Adisa Azapagic & Nima Shokri, 2021. "Global predictions of primary soil salinization under changing climate in the 21st century," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, December.
    3. Aadhityaa Mohanavelu & Sujay Raghavendra Naganna & Nadhir Al-Ansari, 2021. "Irrigation Induced Salinity and Sodicity Hazards on Soil and Groundwater: An Overview of Its Causes, Impacts and Mitigation Strategies," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-17, October.
    4. Reca, J. & Trillo, C. & Sánchez, J.A. & Martínez, J. & Valera, D., 2018. "Optimization model for on-farm irrigation management of Mediterranean greenhouse crops using desalinated and saline water from different sources," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 173-183.
    5. Phogat, V. & Mallants, Dirk & Cox, J.W. & Šimůnek, J. & Oliver, D.P. & Awad, J., 2020. "Management of soil salinity associated with irrigation of protected crops," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).

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