Predictions
in Ungauged Basins: Promise and Progress (Proceedings of symposium S7 held during the
Seventh IAHS Scientific Assembly at Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, April 2005). IAHS
Publ. 303, 2006, 477-486.
Groundwater pollution and risks for the coastal
environment (southeastern Italy)
MAURIZIO POLEMIO & PIER PAOLO LIMONI
CNR-IRPI, Via Amendola 122/i, 70126 Bari,
Italy
Abstract The quality and quantity of
groundwater flow is very important for hydrological and ecological equilibrium
where groundwater discharge into the sea and transitional environments is
higher than river discharge. This is the case of the Murgia Plateau (Murgia)
and of the Salentine Peninsula (Salento), located in the Apulian Region, southeastern
Italy, selected as the study area for this research. Data collected by many
surveys in which wells and coastal springs were sampled are discussed. Many
physical, chemical and bacteriological parameters are considered. A quality
classification partially based on Italian and European laws is defined to
classify and compare groundwater quality. The groundwater pollution is quite
absent only in the inner areas of the Murgia and the Salento, constituting
portions of the recharge zone. Groundwater flowing from these areas to the sea
is progressively polluted. This pollution load discharges into the sea or into wetlands
and lagoons, constituting a huge hazard for the ecological equilibrium of
valuable sites.
Key words coastal
areas; groundwater; pollution; quality classification; seawater intrusion