The EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) requires Member States to define environmental criteria for ex-ante assessments related to water abstraction requests. In line with this directive, the Italian Ministry of the Environment issued the STA Director Decree No. 29 of 13 February 2017 (DD 29/STA/2017), which introduced specific guidelines aimed at assisting authorities in applying the provisions of Royal Decree No. 1775 of 11 December 1933 concerning water abstractions. Through a collaboration agreement between the University of Cagliari (DSCG), the Sardinian Hydrographic District Agency (ADIS), and the Regional Environmental Protection Agency (ARPAS), an analytical strategy was proposed for conducting ex-ante environmental evaluations of groundwater pumping. This method consists in forecasting the impacts that aquifer exploitation may cause by estimating both the intensity and spatial extent. Therefore, it is necessary to define the qualitative and quantitative status of the water body through piezometric surveys and chemical sampling. Finally, a classification must be assigned, which can be either “good” or “poor.” The methodological approach has been developed and applied to a pilot site located in the Rio Picocca plain, within the Sarrabus-Gerrei region (South-East Sardinia), specifically in the San Priamo village, part of the municipality of San Vito (SU). The study area is characterized by three hydrogeological units: the first consists of slope deposits and Pleistocene alluvial sediments; the second is made up of Holocene alluvial deposits; and finally, there are typical lagoonal and marshland sediments found near the present-day coastline. This region presents a complex scenario where intensive agricultural activities coexist with significant seasonal increases in water demand due to a fluctuating summer population. Such dynamics may threaten the hydrogeological balance of the plain and accelerate saline intrusion processes, compromising groundwater quality.
Ex-ante enviromental assessment of groundwater pumping: application in the Rio Picocca plain (South-East Sardinia)
Fancello Vittorio;Piscedda Fabrizio Antonio;Da Pelo Stefania
2025-01-01
Abstract
The EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) requires Member States to define environmental criteria for ex-ante assessments related to water abstraction requests. In line with this directive, the Italian Ministry of the Environment issued the STA Director Decree No. 29 of 13 February 2017 (DD 29/STA/2017), which introduced specific guidelines aimed at assisting authorities in applying the provisions of Royal Decree No. 1775 of 11 December 1933 concerning water abstractions. Through a collaboration agreement between the University of Cagliari (DSCG), the Sardinian Hydrographic District Agency (ADIS), and the Regional Environmental Protection Agency (ARPAS), an analytical strategy was proposed for conducting ex-ante environmental evaluations of groundwater pumping. This method consists in forecasting the impacts that aquifer exploitation may cause by estimating both the intensity and spatial extent. Therefore, it is necessary to define the qualitative and quantitative status of the water body through piezometric surveys and chemical sampling. Finally, a classification must be assigned, which can be either “good” or “poor.” The methodological approach has been developed and applied to a pilot site located in the Rio Picocca plain, within the Sarrabus-Gerrei region (South-East Sardinia), specifically in the San Priamo village, part of the municipality of San Vito (SU). The study area is characterized by three hydrogeological units: the first consists of slope deposits and Pleistocene alluvial sediments; the second is made up of Holocene alluvial deposits; and finally, there are typical lagoonal and marshland sediments found near the present-day coastline. This region presents a complex scenario where intensive agricultural activities coexist with significant seasonal increases in water demand due to a fluctuating summer population. Such dynamics may threaten the hydrogeological balance of the plain and accelerate saline intrusion processes, compromising groundwater quality.
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