| Title | Assessing the Risk of Aquifer Salinization in a Large-Scale Coastal Irrigation Scheme in Southern Italy |
| Abstract | A research study was conducted on a coastal irrigated agricultural area of southern Italy to assess the risks of aquifer degradation likely resulting from the intensive groundwater pumping from individual farm wells and
reduced aquifer recharge. Information were collected both from farmers and delivery system's operators during a survey conducted in 2012 revealing that farmers depend mainly on groundwater with the aim to achieve flexible irrigation management as opposed to the rigid rotational delivery service of surface water supply provided by the local water management agency. The study area is intensively farmed by small land-holding growers with high-value micro-irrigated horticultural crops. Our team appraised the soil and aquifer degradation hazards using a simplified procedure for environmental risk assessment that allowed identifying the risk-generating processes, evaluating the magnitude of impacts, and estimating the overall risks significance. We also collected the stakeholders' perceptions on agricultural water management and use through field interviews, whereas parallel investigations revealed significant aquifer salinity increase during the recent years. As a final step, some preliminary risk mitigation options were appraised by exploring the growers' response to possible changes of irrigation deliveries by the water management agency. The present study integrated multi-annual observations, data interpretation, and modelling efforts, which jointly enabled the analysis of complex water management scenarios and the development of informed decisions. |
| Source | EGU General Assembly 2017, Wien, 23/04/2017, 28/04/2017Geophysical research abstracts (Online) 19 |
| Keywords | Environmental risk assessmentFuzzy cognitive mapsGroundwater degradationSeawater intrusion |
| Journal | Geophysical research abstracts (Online) |
| Editor | Copernicus GmbH, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germania |
| Year | 2017 |
| Type | Abstract in atti di convegno |
| Authors | Daniele Zaccaria (1), Giuseppe Passarella (2), Daniela D'Agostino (3), Raffaele Giordano (2), Samuel Sandoval-Solis (1), Sabino Maggi (2), Delia Bruno (2), and Laura Foglia (1) |
| Text | 371696 2017 Environmental risk assessment Fuzzy cognitive maps Groundwater degradation Seawater intrusion Assessing the Risk of Aquifer Salinization in a Large Scale Coastal Irrigation Scheme in Southern Italy Daniele Zaccaria 1 , Giuseppe Passarella 2 , Daniela D Agostino 3 , Raffaele Giordano 2 , Samuel Sandoval Solis 1 , Sabino Maggi 2 , Delia Bruno 2 , and Laura Foglia 1 1 Department of Land, Air and Water Resources University of California, Davis, CA USA dzaccaria@ucdavis.edu , 2 Water Research Institute National Research Council CNR IRSA , Bari, Italy, 3 CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, Division of Land and Water Resources Management, Valenzano, Bari, Italy Published version http //meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2017/EGU2017 10235.pdf Convegno internazionale organizzato da EGU, the European Geosciences Union 19 EGU General Assembly 2017 Wien 23/04/2017, 28/04/2017 Internazionale Contributo A research study was conducted on a coastal irrigated agricultural area of southern Italy to assess the risks of aquifer degradation likely resulting from the intensive groundwater pumping from individual farm wells and reduced aquifer recharge. Information were collected both from farmers and delivery system s operators during a survey conducted in 2012 revealing that farmers depend mainly on groundwater with the aim to achieve flexible irrigation management as opposed to the rigid rotational delivery service of surface water supply provided by the local water management agency. The study area is intensively farmed by small land holding growers with high value micro irrigated horticultural crops. Our team appraised the soil and aquifer degradation hazards using a simplified procedure for environmental risk assessment that allowed identifying the risk generating processes, evaluating the magnitude of impacts, and estimating the overall risks significance. We also collected the stakeholders perceptions on agricultural water management and use through field interviews, whereas parallel investigations revealed significant aquifer salinity increase during the recent years. As a final step, some preliminary risk mitigation options were appraised by exploring the growers response to possible changes of irrigation deliveries by the water management agency. The present study integrated multi annual observations, data interpretation, and modelling efforts, which jointly enabled the analysis of complex water management scenarios and the development of informed decisions. Assessing the Risk of Aquifer Salinization in a Large Scale Coastal Irrigation Scheme in Southern Italy Abstract presentato a Convegno internazionale organizzato da EGU, the European Geosciences Union EGU2017 10235 1.pdf Abstract in atti di convegno Copernicus GmbH 1607 7962 Geophysical research abstracts Online Geophysical research abstracts Online Geophys. res. abstr. Online Geophysical research abstracts. Online giuseppe.passarella PASSARELLA GIUSEPPE raffaele.giordano GIORDANO RAFFAELE sabino.maggi MAGGI SABINO deliaevelina.bruno BRUNO DELIA EVELINA TA.P04.005.008 Integrazione di metodologie per il monitoraggio e la modellizzazione per la gestione delle risorse idriche |
