Abstract
The Tuscany region of Italy is widely affected by subsidence, landslides and floods, which severely impact buildings and infrastructure. In particular, Firenze-Prato-Pistoia basin has a long experience of ground deformation related to groundwater withdrawal. European remote-sensing satellite (ERS) data collected since 1992 have revealed the presence of several subsiding areas in the basin such as the south-eastern portion of the city of Pistoia. Sentinel-1 persistent scatterer interferometry (PSI) measurements for 2015–2018 confirmed the long-term subsidence of this area, associated with intense horticulture (plant nurseries). At the same time, Sentinel-1 data revealed the unexpected movement of Pistoia historic center, which has always been considered stable in the past. To identify the complex relationship between aquifer conditions and ground displacement, a hydrogeologic model of the Pistoia aquifers was developed, applying an integrated modelling procedure. Hydrodynamic-parameter distributions, calibrated and validated by means of Sentinel-1 PSI measurements, suggest that subsidence in Pistoia area is probably related with the combined impacts of groundwater extraction and highly compressible aquitards. To evaluate the potential evolution of ground displacement, numerical simulations were extended until 2050, using regional and global climate model data, analyzing three different pumping-rate scenarios. This led to the development of several subsidence hazard maps of the city of Pistoia that display the influence of groundwater extraction in controlling land subsidence in the area. This study emphasizes the importance of developing proper groundwater management policies, especially in alluvial aquifers made of fine compressible sediments, in order to sustainably utilize underground freshwater resources and to avoid related side effects.
Highlights
IntroductionGreater than average aquifer recharge rates, are not sustainable for the environment in the long term, leading to the occurrence of many economic and environmental consequences such as water quality deterioration, increasing costs for replacement of groundwater pumps and/or wells, drainage of nearby rivers, and land subsidence (Fienen and Arshad 2016)
Groundwater is a fundamental resource for freshwater supplies in many urban and rural areas all over the world, as it Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.Florence, Via di Santa Marta, 3 50139 Florence, Italy guarantees support for the agricultural economy and the availability of large amounts of drinkable water
This study focuses on the FirenzePrato-Pistoia basin (Tuscany region, central Italy), which has a long experience of land subsidence and ground deformation, observed since the early 1960s (Fondelli 1975; Fancelli et al 1980)
Summary
Greater than average aquifer recharge rates, are not sustainable for the environment in the long term, leading to the occurrence of many economic and environmental consequences such as water quality deterioration, increasing costs for replacement of groundwater pumps and/or wells, drainage of nearby rivers, and land subsidence (Fienen and Arshad 2016). When groundwater pumping exceeds aquifer recharge for long periods, a decline of water levels usually occurs, with a relative decrease in pore-water pressure and an increase in effective stress. This phenomenon leads to the compression of aquifer-system materials and to gradual land-surface subsidence (Galloway and Burbey 2011). In San Joaquin valley, California (USA), uncontrolled groundwater extraction in the first decades of the last century, and poor management since
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