Intrinsic vulnerability of the Isonzo/Soča high plain aquifer (NE Italy – W Slovenia)

Francesco Treu,Luca Zini,Enrico Zavagno,Sara Biolchi,Chiara Boccali,Asta Gregorič,Rossella Napolitano,Janko Urbanc,Giulia Zuecco,Franco Cucchi

doi:10.1080/17445647.2017.1384935

Francesco Treu, Luca Zini + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2017.1384935

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Abstract

ABSTRACTThe paper presents the map of intrinsic groundwater vulnerability of the Isonzo/Soča High Plain, which is located between the Collio Hills and the Classical Karst Region and holds an aquifer shared between Italy and Slovenia. The map, produced at a scale of 1:25,000 and printed in A0 format, was obtained by means of the SINTACS method and shows the intrinsic vulnerability of the aquifer in terms of seven vulnerability classes, from extremely high to low. It is accompanied by four supplementary sketches that illustrate the geological framework, the bedrock top surface, the groundwater flow paths, the Hazard Index map and three diagrams that summarize the percentages of vulnerability classes and of Hazard Index classes of the study area.

Highlights

The Isonzo/Soča High Plain is located on the eastern side of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, straddling the border between Italy and Slovenia
The achievements of the climatic and hydrogeological analysis that constitute the base maps of the vulnerability evaluation were the representation of precipitation and temperature as a function of the elevation, the isophreatic trend map and the reconstruction of the bedrock surface
This strong effect of elevation on both precipitation and temperature was considered in the kriging approach used to interpolate mean annual precipitation (MAP) and mean annual temperature (MAT) on the study area

Summary

Introduction

The Isonzo/Soča High Plain is located on the eastern side of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, straddling the border between Italy and Slovenia. The increasing interest of the local administrations, private water suppliers and the resident population using this important resource gave rise to the ‘GEP’ and ‘ASTIS’ Projects (Bisaglia et al, 2014; Zini et al, 2014a). As part of these projects, this research focuses on the evaluation of the intrinsic vulnerability of the Isonzo/Soča aquifer that can be used as a tool to safeguard the groundwater resource and support environmental protection and management policies. The vulnerability of an underground water body depends on the hydro-lithology and hydro-structure of the hydrogeological system, the nature of soil and overburden, its recharge, groundwater inflow-outflow processes, the physical and hydro-geochemical processes that produce natural quality of water and the attenuation of the contaminants affecting the system (Civita & De Maio, 2000)

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